IN THE EYES OF ANOTHER
by blankstare1245
Summary: The prologue of Changes for the Better. In the eyes of Sirius and a certain girl that he likes...I'm not giving anything away...may read Changes for the Better to understand more...reviews please...and enjoy...
1. What About Me?

A/N-I want this. TO continue the Alex Hernandez thing. I've grown attached to her. And so, I've made another story, based on their fifth year, onwards! Don't get pissed, it's just what I want...

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My name is Alexandra Ysobel Marithe-Hernandez. I'm a girl who lives simply (meaning lavish robes, best Quidditch brooms and enormous mansions).

My story starts in my fifth year at Hogwarts. Why not since my first, you might ask? Because these last three years at Hogwarts were the real start of gossips, scandals and hot romances. Don't think that I didn't have these in my first four years here. It was just my other yearmates, they were all so innocent. They were all so young and naive, only attempting crushes with each other, and not starting relationships, that if I would tell it, it would end up a snorefest. But it was when I stepped up and got asked out by a 6th year when I was in my fourth year. Age doesn't matter right? And this boy was particularly yummy. Okay, if I told you my stories from 1st to 4th, then you would end up thinking, been there, done that, what else is new? But what I'm about to tell, you may or may not have done yet, not at my age, that is. Enjoy the ride, it's gonna be a wild and wicked one.

Let's start with Lily Evans. She's my best friend, not to mention the smartest girl in school. She's more widely known as James Potter's apple of the eye or whatever other term that you want to use.

Well, we were at the Hogwarts Express and we were heading for an empty compartment when we came across the Marauders. Oh joy, this should be fun to watch!

"There you are my love!" James exclaimed loudly, enveloping his hands on Lily's clenched fists.

Oh, oh, I'm waiting for the slap, Lily! Don't you dare disappoint me now...

3...2...1...

She shoved him to the side and glared at him.

Well, not exactly a slap, but, better than nothing.

"In a bad mood aren't you darling?" James said lovingly, ruffling his already messed up hair.

Actually, I didn't understand why Lily didn't like him. I would understand if she disliked Black, James' best friend, but that was the person that she got along with, instead of James. Black was handsome, yes, but he was an extremely overconfident, foul, evil, conniving, heartbreaking, little git, so I ask, why does Lily get along with a person like him, but not James???

"Do not ever call me, love, or darling," she growled at him.

"Why not babes?" James smirked bracingly.

Uh-oh, better duck in cover James!!! Look! There is smoke coming out of her ears!! Okay, clear signal to run!!!!!! Run, run run!!!

"You-" she started, then took out her wand,"stop that-" she placed the wand right in the center of James chest, "or you're going to regret that!" she said coolly.

To my annoyance, Black took out his own wand. What a pussy, thinking it was okay to go around and hex people, girls nonetheless. Well, at least he knows that girls are a threat. He's got that going for him.

"You don't need that Padfoot!" James laughed, waving away Black's wand. "Don't dare to use any spell on my Lilyflower."

Like a good boy, Remus stepped in, attempting to break this, ummm, encounter? I guess the look on Lily's face started to scare him.

"Let's go James," he said, then I heard him whisper to James,"Before we cause a scene. You don't want last year to happen again."

I tried to fight down my laughter. How very innocent of him not to want to cause a scene. Last year wasn't even a scene, maybe a bit, but...a scene? All Lily did was whack James with a huge, heavy book all round school, before a teacher ruined the fun and scolded Lily.

Out of the blue, Black suddenly says to me, he says, "Bye Alex," then he winked at me. Ew. Is he that full of himself that he thinks that I'm going to jump him the second he winks at me?

I stuck my tongue out at him and crossed my eyes, thinking he'd get the message. He probably thought that I was trying to be funny, because the next thing I knew, he was laughing unsteadily, while his astounded friends looked embarrassed behind him, except the fat kid though, he was laughing with Black like he got the joke. What a loser.

I stood rooted to the spot, shaking my head and stared at him with pity. What a fool he made of himself and other people were starting to look out of their compartments. Oh well!

Lily started moving and I followed her to a compartment and we found Annie and Hannah there.

As soon as I sat down, James, Black, and that fat little dude that tagged along, filed into the compartment as if they were invited in. James sat down next to Lily, and Black, oddly enough, sat next to me, leaving the fat, mousy-looking companion looking out of place, standing in the center, gaping at Annie. He looked like an idiot.

"What do you want?" Lily barked.

"I only want to be here with you, Lilyflower," James replied innocently. "Unless you want to go somewhere else to really be alone."

As Lily argued with him, I slowly started to nod off. Her arguments with James were okay when you had it once a day, but, just boring the second time.

I felt soft lips graze mine. I smiled, thinking that my 7th year boyfriend, Thad, found me and was going to take me away from this place.

Oh, how angry I was when I opened my eyes and found Black leaning over me, grinning widely, as his dark hair falling over his eyes that made so many girls swoon.

I didn't swoon, instead, I wiped my lips with the back of my hand, outraged.

"Liked it?" he smirked at my stony glare.

I smiled fakely, then smacked him on the side of the head with my fist. Ouch! If that hurt me, then it must have hurt him at least!

The side of his face turned red, but he didn't even looked in any pain. He just looked shocked that he got punched because he kissed a girl. Normally, they would just ask him to kiss him more, but obviously, I'm no normal girl. And I guess, neither is Lily.

"I have a boyfriend," I informed him while punching him lightly on the top of his head.

"Now, now Lily, no need for looks like that!" James shouted, smiling slightly as Lily glared at him, her mouth pursed, eyes full of hatred, her nostrils flaring wildly, and her face all splotchy and red from anger.

I burst out laughing. Stupid, I know, but how could I not? Lily's death glare then pointed to my direction, changed into somewhat curiosity. In the littlest corner of my eye, I saw James exhale wih relief. I saved him this time...

"What?" Lily asked.

"Look at yourself!" I said, still laughing, handing over a mirror that I conjured out of nowhere. Yes, yes, just some spell I made up, thank you thank you.

Lily stared at herself for a moment then screamed. "I will never, ever try a fight with Potter again, not when there's not much air." And she tried flattening her hair with her palm flat on the top of her head, smoothening it downwards. She breathed in, breathed out, then looked James in the eye with unnatural calm.

"Get out!"

Her words were loud and clear. So obvious was her anger now, that the boys had no excuse. They got out one by one, and when Black turned to look back, I gave him one dirty little finger. He grinned. The bastard.

"That was rude," Annie stated.

"You just like him," I smirked at her, with her light blue eyes, wide with shock.

"I do not!" she shouted.

"Yes, you do."

"I do not!"

"Yeah, you do!"

"Cut it out!" Lily shouted over our voices. "And yes, you do!" she added to Annie.

Annie pouted like a spoiled little brat (and may I add that she is. Actually, we all are, except for Lily) and sulked in the corner. Wow, she really is a pampered little princess. How obvious that she has a crush on Black! When I told them this summer that Black had sent me lots of foreign presents, Annie looked really jealous. Eww...why would she be jealous of that? It's not like she doesn't already have cool enough stuff...

Oh yes, we just talked and talked and ate a lot on the train, without any sign of the Marauders on the way. Thad found me though, and he whisked me away and just made out for a while in the Heads compartment (he was head boy, he didn't know why, he always gets detentions and all that junk of punishments), until the girls found me and we walked back to our own compartment while they were giggling in the most annoying way!!

Okay, we got off the train and rode those thestral carriages (yes, I witnessed a death, I was six years old) to Hogwarts. How uneventful really, not much to do. Must go out...must go eat...must go...play? snigger...

We got there, finally! I was losing my mind! And as we stepped off the train, I saw my brother with his own mates stepping out of their own carriage. He glanced at me, and I made a face. His friends looked in my direction, and I looked at them weirdly. What the hell did my brother tell them?

"Your brother is so hot!" Hannah chimed.

I looked at her in a way that said 'are you blind?'

"He is not!" I retorted.

"You're supposed to say that, he's your brother," Hannah kept on, staring at Nathan like he was a glass of water in a hot desert.

"How come you don't look alike?" Annie wondered.

Yeah, me and my brother didn't look alike at all. Like, not even a tiniest bit. He looked like my dad, while I looked like mom. Okay, he had passably good, tanned skin, but I was darker, definitely tanner, he had big, round, dark green eyes, while I had small black ones. His hair was brown and wavy, while my hair was very black and straight, and layered. He had thin lips, I had full ones, ugh. The only thing we had in common in appearance was our same strong jaws. Yup, we definitely don't look like we're related in any way.

"I will never reach to his standards," Hannah looked down at herself, with her beautiful red hair, dark blue eyes, and all the Little Mermaid qualities, minus the fishtail.

"I don't even want to think any of my friends dating my ugh...older brother!"

"You know, I just realized something. Maybe you don't have your confidence if you didn't have your brother. Or your ideas and stuff, because your brother like, influenced you and stuff," Hannah said.

Umm..I have no idea how this subject in the conversation has any connection with dating my brother, but I will answer to that. "You just wish you were like me."

"No, I don't" Hannah replied with a quivering voice.

Okay, I was just joking, but she took it seriously? Wow.

"Oi! Alex darling, will you come over here?" Nathan called out.

I turned around slowly, something was fishy. My brother normally just smiled at me at school, never talked. I've never even met his friends! But nonetheless, he was my only brother, and so, I glided over to him with an air of slight lightheadedness.

"And what do you want?" I started arrogantly. Oops, wrong first impression to Nathan's popular, extremely good-looking friends.

So..why are they looking at me like that?

"My friends want to meet you," he shrugged.

All of a sudden, I was bombarded with hellos and names that I couldn't remember a second later, and blah blah blah...you lost me.

"Wait, wait wait," I shouted, holding my arms out, trying to get breathing space. "Suddenly, they want to meet me?" I eyed Nathan suspiciously.

"They wanted to meet you since your second year," he smirked.

"This is a prank isn't it? This is your prank of the year?" I asked. My brother and I have a prank of the year established ever since I was 7 and he was 9. It's just out of laughs, nothing special, but we have done pretty hilarious things ever since. I explained this to Lily when she noticed that I did a major thing every year.

His friends looked from me to him.

"No, it's not," Nathan replied uncomfortably.

"Okay then, I'll just leave now," I said, edging away. Okay, I was a bit freaked out.

"Fine, fine, I'll tell you."

"Thank you very much," I said sweetly, I have no idea why.

"This is Craig," Nathan pointed to a guy with dark blonde hair, green eyes, thin lips, Quidditch-toned body. "He asked me to introduce you."

Craig punched him on the arm.

"Ow!" Nathan screamed. "You did! You did ask me!"

"You didn't have to say that in front of her!" Craig scolded him.

"Right," I cut in. "If there's nothing else, I'm just going to go now..."

"Wait!" Craig said loudly.

"Uhmm..."

"Go one dude! Every single one of us likes her! except for Nathan of course. Just freaking ask her out, or I'm going to!" said a blonde, blue-eyed friend. I must admit, all of my brothers friends are wantable. And I felt extremely privileged to hear one of them say that they all want me. I mean, there were seven of them! Not even including my brother!

"Yeah, go on. You just asked Nate first to introduce her to us, that's why you get first dibs!" said a raven-haired, green eyed friend, who I've been eyeing since my brother invited him to our house. "If you don't want to, I'll do it!"

I just stood there, watching them arguing in whispers. However flattering it was to have gorgeous seventh year dudes arguing to have a date with you, it was somewhat uncomfortable. No wonder Nate looked the way I did.

Suddenly, I felt firm hands grip my shoulders. Oh, not another one! I turned around and saw Thad's light brown eyes. He smiled at me and looked questioningly at my brother and his friends. I smiled back in explanation. I am not putting these dudes behind me in danger. And behind me, the whispers stopped. I turned around again, and I saw Nate's friends looking at Thad with their mouths slightly open.

I giggled a bit. Well, they looked like fish! Oh goody, they saw that I can't date any one of them, problem solved!

"Thad? What's you with her?" Craig asked, pointing at Thad, then me.

"I dated her last year remember?" Thad replied.

"Dude, we're roommates and you even forgot to tell me?"

"Dude, you never asked."

"Dudes, I'm going" I was getting annoyed with all this boy fights, they get really boring after a while...even if it's your fault that they're arguing..

I walked away and went to the Great Hall, searching for my supposed friends, who left me outside with those boys. Oh look, they're seated there, looking bored without me! I'll be going there now!

"aww, you just left me!" I pouted.

"You kind of looked preoccupied," Lily laughed.

"Yeah, Alex, you could share some guys..you already have one wrapped around you," Annie said.

"It's not like I can make a guy like you, they just like you when they like you," I tried to say as modestly as I could.

Right there, the Sorting began, making us all shut up. Drone on and on and on and on and on and on. Snooze...

Okay, it's done! Can we please eat now please? Dumbledore says..."tuck in!"

Yes!! Food appears, urgh, at the same time that Black sits next to me. Fine, I'll just get some mashed potaoes, roast beef, chicken, croissants and butter, tomato soup and I am outta here! Oops, my plate is too heavy to carry...luckily, I have my little helpers.

I whistle.

Astonishingly, five seventh years come up to me, and grab a different plate. I walk over to the other end of the table and sit down while the very helpful boys lay the plates in front of me. Do I need to tip them or what?

Okay, I just stuffed my face with all of this food and yes, I ate every single piece, except for the bones.

Mmmm...tastes good. I didn't even realize that I was seated where my brother and his 4 other Gryffindor friends were staying. My brother just slurped his soup, while his friends kept watching me. Honestly, did they have nothing else to do? Why didn't they oggle last year, when I was still available, I would have appreciated it, but now, it was just plain annoying.

"I really liked uncle Frederick's new place," I said, in an attempt to distract myself, and hoping Nate would get the message too.

"yeah, me too," Nate answered, completely oblivious to what his friends were doing.

"It's so huge isn't it? And everything was so lavish," I said, gritting my teeth.

"Yeah," Nate said nonchalantly, sipping his soup.

"Nate..."

"Yeah?"

"Do something," I whispered and nodded my head to the direction of his friends.

"Huh?" he asked, then his big eyes widened, "Oh, right. Umm..guys do you mind passing the butter?"

I slapped my forehead. How stupid my brother was when it came to these things.

I grinned and stood up. Okay, their looks look really stalkerish now. Then I heard a girl say, "How does she smile so devilishly?"

Excuse moi? Devilish? I smile devilishly without my knowing? I walked over to Lily and squeezed in between her and James. He shot me an annoyed look, but I shot him a 'you owe me for this morning' one. I waited in silence as the people around me ate and talked.

Finally, Dumbledore got to his feet and dismissed us. Hard to believe it, I won't be going up with Lily tonight. She'll be busy prefecting, or whatever, so I went ahead of the crowd and walked up to the Gryffindor dormitory. I got to the Fat Lady's portait and realized that I didn't know tha password. oh, dismay.

I'll just have to wait for someone to come by then, and that wasn't really that long. Within seconds, James, Black and whatever his name was, came tottering over and said the password. I followed them to go in, but Black blocked the entrance.

"Give me a kiss first," he said, puckering his lips.

"You're disgusting," I said quietly as I tried to slip through a small gap that he didn't block. He just blocked again.

"I'm in no mood Black," I said, frowning.

"Touchy touchy, just kiss me then, to get in," he grinned.

I sighed and grabbed his face and turned it to the side. No way is he getting to kiss me on the lips twice in one day. I pressed my lips on his cheek, before he could protest, a second later, I switched places with him and rammed the door shut in his face.

As fast as I could, I ran up the steps before he could catch me, he couldn't get up here, that was for sure.

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A/N-Right, it took me days to do this, please review. I'm pretty bummed right now, so if you please, review...xoxo's 


	2. What I Learn in Hogsmeade

A/N- I really hoped that you liked the chapter before this one. I really want to go into this story...I do not own anything, except for the characters that I made...and the plot...and this account... 

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The portrait hole slammed in my face as I noticed that Alex was slowly turning around. I shouted the password and rushed in, eager to get her back. Hopefully.

I sprinted up the girls dormitories as fast as I could. I started climbing up the stairs, but I didn't slow down. But, the stairs vanished and it turned into this slide. Damn! I forgot that guys weren't allowed to go up here!

I slided down and called Alex.

Her pretty head popped out from the corner and grinned. "Yes Black?"

"Get down here!" I demanded.

"Oh, why should I? So that you could keep harassing me until I punch your nose in?" she batted her eyelashes.

Man, this girl was smooth. No wonder I wasn't the only one after her. But then again, I'm after every hot girl in this school...fifth year and up please.

"No, so that I could sweep you off your feet and carry you to my room!"

"You're disgusting Black!"

"Well, aren't you all perky?" I smiled sarcastically.

"If you have nothing else productive to say, I will be leaving now," her head vanished and I heard her walk up to her room.

Fine, the priss. She'll have me, they all do.

I strode into the common room and sat down on a cushion, just near the fireplace. Prongs was seated in the hearth, what the hell was he doing? Warming up his hands or something?

"Prongs, have you ever considered dating other girls?" I asked.

He looked at me like I just asked him to turn himself into a wallabe. "Like another girl? That's impossible!"

"Why's that?" Moony said behind a book.

"Reading will be bad for your health if you always breathe the used-up book stench," I pointed out.

Wormtail wheezed beside Moony, that's the way he laughed. It was disgusting. I'll go for a walk. With or without my mates. I stood up, yawned and stretched.

"Where're you going?" Prongs looked up at me from the hearth.

"Walk."

"Stay safe then, I don't want you to get eaten by Peeves or something," he said, staring at the fire.

"You coming Moony?" I asked, although I knew what his reply would be.

"Can't you see I'm reading?" he replied, looking up from his book like my suggestion was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

Right, going out now...Wormtail, tagging along again.

"Did I invite you to come?" I asked him as politely as I could.

He shrugged and went back to his seat next to Moony. Good, now I won't need to think of a plan to ditch him. I walked out the portrait hole and started strolling over to the direction of the owlery. I didn't mind being alone there for a while.

I got there, to find that I wouldn't be alone at all. I found the 7th year that Alex was dating. Oh, good, he's alone. I took out my wand and uttered "Levicorpus"

That Thad screamed and writhed around wildly. He saw me and glared at me, upside down.

"Put me down," he demanded.

"Not 'til you break up with Alex," I trilled, raising him higher and higher, until he reached the top of the ceiling and his feet were bumping it.

"Not a chance, do you know how many boys like her in this school?" he smirked, but his face was turning red with all the blood rushing to his face.

"Well, I wonder how you'll get down then," I said, and noticed his wand which fell out and I picked it up and showed it out to him, but making sure it was distanced enough for him not to grab it.

He stared at it and fumbled in his falling robes. I tutted loudly. "Hope you can stay that way all night. And I hope you learned to sleep upside-down." I added.

I threw his wand near owl turd, and turned around, leaving him hanging there while he struggled to get near his wand. No one will be able to find him, not until the morning.

"You're only a fifth year!" he called out when I was halfway down the spiral staircase which lead down. "I can make your life living hell! If you don't get me down."

I didn't care if he was a seventh year. I was a Black, which practically made you royal, like my mother said, not that I actually gave in to her lies like my stupid brother Regulus.

I continued my walk until it was one in the morning and I decided to get some sleep. The fat lady got angry at me, but I sweet-talked her into letting me in.

See? Even portraits couldn't resist my charm. I entered and I found my mates the only ones left in the common room. I would've felt gratitude if only they weren't all sleeping peacefully. Like what I would always do, I bellowed loudly,

"AWW..THAT IS SO SWEET! YOU STAYED UP WAITING FOR ME!" not caring who else would wake up.

Moony sprang up in surprise, his book falling to the floor. How like him, to fall asleep reading a book. Prongs grunted loudly and looked at me with a glazed expression, then he stood up (he fell asleep still on the floor) and headed up the stairs. Wormtail didn't move an inch. I didn't want to wake him, I wasn't his mother. Moony was about to wake him, but I shook my head vigorously. Moony looked at me suspiciously, but shrugged and followed James.

No waste taking advantage of this sweet opportunity, Prongs would not object if he were in my position. I conjured up a big bowl and muttered "Aguamenti," while pointing my wand at the bowl. Once the bowl was filled with water threatening to spill, I placed Wormtail's hand in the bowl of water. His hand was dangling anyway, so it wasn't hard. I placed it on the floor slowly, making sure not to spill the water, added with Wormtail's weight in the bowl.

It was a small joke, something for me and Prongs to laugh about, something for Moony to scold us about. I smirked as I climbed up the stairs leading to the boys dormitories. As I entered, James was already snoring, not bothering to dress out of his uniform. Remus was buttoning his pajamas and slided into the covers. Aww...no goodnight?

I went to bed myself and slept almost at once.

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"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" my magical alarm clock screamed in my bedside. I tried hitting the big button on top of it, but somehow, I couldn't find it.

"Oy! Git! Would you turn that thing off?" Prongs said, and a second later, a pillow hit me squarely in the face. His reflexes were better than mine, sad to say. He's better at Quidditch. Seeker. Sometimes, I hate that he can throw things with good aim, even when he's sleepy.

"I'm trying!" I shouted back at him, whacking every single bit of alarm clock that I could reach. I felt for my wand instead.

"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE-" BOOM!

YES! Good shot. I blasted it apart and went back to sleep hugging the pillow that Prongs threw at me.

"Accio pillow," James muttered, and the pillow wriggled out of my arms. I looked up at him, over at the other bed and he grinned at me. I rolled over and fell asleep.

"SIRIUS!!!" Moony's voice echoed in my brain, I was still asleep after all, dreaming of a certain girl...

"OY! You blasted the alarm! We don't even have our schedules yet! We have to go down now!" he said in panic.

I sat up and scratched my head, in the bed next door, I saw James groaning and getting back in his covers. I stood up and grabbed my socks, put 'em on and put on my shoes. Like James, I didn't bother to change into pajamas.

I threw Prongs sock at his sleeping figure. That didn't work. I threw his shoe at him. He put his head up, rubbing the back of it. he turned his head and glared at me.

"What was that for?"

"You don't want me feeling guilty if you're late on the first day!" I grinned at him.

He started to stir and in seconds, was fully dressed like me. Both of us literlally looked like we got out of bed. Our clothes were wrinkled and untucked, our hair was messy, James hair was, more than usual. Our neckties were hanging around our neck, and our eyes were crusty.

Moony tapped his foot impatiently, "Are we going or what? Even Wormtail got up earlier than us!"

I didn't say anything. Wait 'til they see what happened to Wormy in the common room. I was scared of the stink, I admit.

We went down, and at mouth of the entrance, I held my breath. Wormtail, was still sleeping. Still in dreamland, I presume. People were pinching their noses and running to the portarit hole, when they reached the range of the stench. Wormtail's pants were wet, the sofa that he was asleep in was soaking under him, and yet he had a stupid smile on his face. No doubt dreaming of Annie.

"Wormtail?" Moony said, pinching his nose like the others. "Sirius?" he added as he saw the bowl of water that spilled onto the floor.

He turned to me, and surprisingly, smiled. "That's a really old muggle trick, I'm a bit impressed at why James hadn't thought of it before leaving."

"Er-thanks?" I replied in confusion.

"We need to evacuate quickly people," Prongs shouted at us, covering his mouth to stop puking. "Oy! WORMTAIL! CLEAN YOURSELF UP! THAT IS DISGUSTING!"

Wormtail woke up with a start and looked down at his soaked pants. He scrambled to his feet and ran up the stairs. Me, Moony and Prongs ducked so that we wouldn't get hit by the wet that dripped.

"That's the best that we could do," James said. "I am not cleaning up after him, not even as a friend. The house-elves will do it."

Moony and I nodded. The three of us headed down to the Great Hall. Oh good, we aren't late at all. We were just in time for getting our new schedules for the year.

"Merlin! I am going to die from exhaustion this year! Thank Merlin that I have the same schedule as you Lily!" I heard Alex say. I eavesdropped a bit more. "Ancient Runes, first! Then Transfiguration! Then break, muggle studies, lunch, double potions."

I examined the schedule that McGonagall handed me. YES! I've got the same schedule. Since third year, I had the same schedule and subjects as Alex and Lily. I didn't like her back then, but James and Moony took all the new subjects, so I had to do the same! Marauders stick together (Wormtail joined too)! But ask any one of us and we would tell you that we would be happy to give up a subject or two, not yet...we're waiting for sixth year to give it up (we're no quitters, except for wormtail maybe) when our O.W.L.s would arrive with the results. oh yeah, We haven't even took our O.W.L.s, no matter, I'll pass everything anyway.

My attention was put into a hot girl that passed by, who eyed me back. I know her...wait, wait, wait. Ah, yes, Amethyst Amaranta, the sixth year that said that she was too cool to date a person younger than her. How shallow it would be when she would start dating me...I'll make sure that I'll date her...you'll see...

I walked over to her and smiled. Yes, this is the smile that make all the girls swoon, have heart attacks, and make other males jealous, wishing that they had my smile. I know what I'm capable of, you can't blame me.

"Hey," I said as charmingly as I could. I could see Amethyst shaking with enthusiasm. Good, she knows how lucky she is that I'm even talking to her.

"Hey yourself," she replied, trying to maintain your cool, but her quivering voice gave her away.

How it boosts my confidence.

"Care to spend the day with me on Saturday?"

"Yeah, sure," she said almost immediately.

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Back in the eyes of Alex...

I looked around and saw that Black was chatting a sixth year girl up. Oh good, now he wasn't going to bother me anymore. After this girl, he'll be moving on to another girl, then another, then another...

Something else caught my eye, there was a huge bouquet of exquisite looking flowers (and no, they weren't roses, roses are so obvious nowadays, although I love them, I just think that it's too common as a romantic item). I couldn't see the person holding it, but I knew what the flowers were: there were four kinds, the African Daisy, the Scarlet Flax, the Crimson Clover, and the Black-Eyed Susan. I watched as the person trotted through the hall. How lucky the person who would be getting it.

To my surprise, the flowers were heading to my direction, I looked around me, and other people were watching out of curiosity. When the flowers arived in front of me, Thad handed it over to me saying, "I love you, sorry that I haven't been in touch this summer. I missed you." He handed over the flowers and I hugged it delicately, like my own baby.

Oh! How perfect! How thoughtful of him! I couldn't have dated anyone else that would just give me flowers because he wanted too! How romantic!

I slipped my arm around his own and walked out of the Hall with him. He deserved a reward for this. To the broom closet!

"I'll see you at Runes okay?" I said at Lily pleadingly.

She nodded, with a knowing smile on her face.

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Merlin! I am so late!! I dashed to the Ancient Runes classroom, hoping that I could still catch up. We lost track of time in the broom closet, and Thad was trying to get me to do it. I just kept it rated-pg thank you very much. I am not about to have my first time in a broom closet for cripe's sake!

I arrived at the classroom just at the same time as Professor Vector had. Oh, thank you! I sat beside Lily, panting loudly. The Marauders were seated a few seats away, thank Merlin that that Pettigrew wasn't with them (yes, I finally know his name, I asked Lily last night)!

"Doing alright Alex?" Remus said laughing.

"Yes, very much Remsy! Thank you!" I said back, as the Professor asked us to settle down.

I saw him blush a bit as I said Remsy. Oh, don't tell me that he has the hots for me...of course not! He likes Hannah right? I know he does.

The class. It was boring. Professor Vector just talked about owl year being probably the most important test that we would be taking...ever. Yeah, I know! It's the one that decides what subjects you'll be taking yada yada yada...

Okay, this happened for all the subjects. The only eventful thing that happened today was at Potions. We were asked to make the Draught of Living Death by Slughorn. Slytherins and Gryffindors together again...urgh.

I did good. Lily did better. And her friend Snape, did the best of all. He's brainy at Potions for some reason, the Dark Arts fanatic. Bellatrix Black stressed that a Slytherin did the best. I could have hit her. Hmmm...the Marauders? James and Black did as well as I did, Remsy (I'm liking the sound of it) did as good as Lily.

Pettigrew did so bad. I think that he made acid, there was a hole in the bottom of his cauldron, when Professor Slughorn noticed that something was melting away the hem of his robes when he passed by. It was a laugh. Pettigrew was jumping around the classroom as his clothes got melted away. I saw James discreetly flicking his wand, trying to get the potion that Peter had done, to catch fire.

FIRE! that gives me an idea, for prank of the year...

Anyway, he failed at it, but he did end up getting the end of Bellatrix's hair to catch fire. Black was laughing his head off as Bellatrix was patting her hair instead of using aguamenti, cursing under her breath. "Alright there, cuz'?" Black mocked, and "You look better with your head on fire."

All the Gryffindors were laughing at Bellatrix, and Black's rude, snide jokes at his cousin, while the Slytherins were forcing to laugh at Peter.

See? The only eventful thing, and this was still so shallow.

Okay, days pass. Homework overload (fifth year is exhausting!), sneaks to make out with Thad (it's what keeps me going), being stalked by my brothers friends (don't they have their own homework or something else to do?). If I told you every single day, it would take forever...

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Let's fast forward to a Hogsmeade trip.

Thad was in detention (I do not understand it, isn't he the Head Boy?). So, Lily and I were strolling in the village with our robes wrapped around us tightly. I hate robes. I like the ones with good fabric, and nice unique colors, but robes make you feel warm all the time, and too warm, if you ask me. We ended up in a clothes shop called Zip.

Zip? What kind of a name was that for a clothes store?

Okay, the name sucks, but the inside was spectacular. There was a small corner that caught me eye. Those clothes weren't wizard robes, they were muggle. Why were muggle clothes in a wizard store?

I asked a clerk and she said that they had branches of stores in Diagon Alley, and other stores scattered all around Europe. She told me that muggle clothes proved to make a regular profit. Not as good as the wizard clothes that they sold, but good enough for them to keep selling them.

Oh yes, their robes were made of fine material. I could tell. I have hundreds. But the muggle corner kept catching my eye. They looked prettier and cooler than plain robes. I strolled over to that section and Lily followed.

"Oh my!" Lily exclaimed.

"Why? What's the matter?" I said as I examined a shirt that had so much detail to be held by just one shirt. Couture, as I later learn.

"Look," she said, flashing the tag at me. "Gucci, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Coco Chanel, Louis Vuitton." but there were more, I knew.

"What?"

"All the brands here are expensive in the muggle world!" she explained to me with much exaggeration.

Oh good, I need glamorous things in my life, especially expensive clothes from the muggle world! I peeped at the tag and did see. It was expensive! Even in the wizard world!

"You've never heard of them?" Lily asked, astounded of my little knowledge of fashion of the muggle world. "You take up muggle studies!"

"They don't talk about clothes in muggle studies," I pointed out.

"Oh, right. But you haven't even wore muggle clothes?"

I shook my head. She looked astonished. I never had an occasion in my life when I needed to go undercover as a muggle. So, I didn't need muggle clothes. I didn't know that there were pretty clothes that existed in the muggle world, even!

"I think I'll start now," I said, shaking my bag of gold. This store would run out of muggle clothes because of me!

I grabbed a silver wrap dress immediately, and went into the dressing room. I appeared minutes later, showing it off to Lily. "TADA!"

"Wrap dresses," she examined, circling me. "They look good on you. Get another one."

I obeyed and got a black wrap dress and a red mini dress. I went out with the black one first.

"Yeah, they look good on you," Lily stated as she sized me up.

"The red one next?"

"Yeah."

I tried it on. Got out. Lily nodded her head in approval.

"You look better in a mini-dress, it shows off your legs good." she observed.

"You're looking at my legs?" I asked, finding it funny.

"Yes, it's the first thing that I notice n a person," Lily said matter-of-factly.

"Well, okay." I said and grabbed a pair of mettalic gold boots and distressed jeans and a frilly white halter top.

"Okay, you look good in everything!" Lily exclaimed as I got out for the fourth time. "You fit in anything anyway, so you can just buy anything that you get off the rack."

I did as she advised. I just took many assorted colored dresses, skirts, jeans, shoes and tops. Lily even joined in and played dress up with me, trying to come up with outrageous getups, like feather boas wrapped around our arms and sequined floor-length gowns, and extremely huge aviator shades.

We ended up out of the store with each of our hands holding four paper bags. So, I had exactly sixteen paper bags stacked with new clothes. Am I the happiest girl on Earth! Of course, I couldn't leave without buying Lily anything! She didn't know it, but she thought that I bought the clothes she liked for myself, but I had them placed in one paper bag, and I would give it to her later.

This is how I got introduced to muggle clothes, and I tried never wearing wizard robes outside of school ever again. How fun!

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When Lily and I got to the dormitory, I quickly unpacked everything and lay them on my bed, except for the bad dedicated just for Lily. This had the effect that I wanted, since Lily eyes it with curiosity.

"Is there something special in it?"

"Yes, I think so," I said, neatly folding a satin long skirt.

"Well, aren't you unpacking it?"

I stood up and took the paperbag, dumped all its contents onto her bed, which was very full I might add. She yelped and opened her mouth to lecture me until I interrupted her and said, "This is yours, dummy."

She blinked at me with slight puzzlement, not quite absorbing what I had told her. Within a few seconds though, I found myself trapped in a tight hug that nearly suffocated me.

"Lil, I know you appreciate everything and all, but can you please not kill me with your love?" I managed to choke out.

"Oh, sorry," she said gruffly, smoothening out my robes.

"Wanna try it on?" I grinned. "We could wear these for the first time together in public!" I added, gesturing to the piles of clothes.

She grinned at me un-Lilyshly. that kind of scared me. Quickly, she grabbed a yellow long-sleeved hoodie and a knee-length denim skirt. Okay, there was a reason that I also bought this for her, and not for myself. Although we were best friends, we were very different, down to the way we dress. This might be the first time I'll be wearing muggle clothes, but I definitely know what I want.

Lily was born in a muggle life of simplicity, whereas I, was born in a life of the pureblood luxuries. See the difference? Very. Good thing that i took muggle studies, or I wouldn't understand the muggle things that she would blab about.

You know what's funnier? Voldemoert's not even after my family, although we have not discriminated against the muggle-borns or joined his little group of death eaters. My dad knows a number of death eaters, convincing him to join up, him being so influential, gifted and wealthy. He declines, and yet my family has never been threatened before. It might me a matter of time though. My father is always ready to run. After all, to the Dark Lord, even blood traitors are as worse as mudbloods.

Anyway, I got dressed up in a dove-colored sundress, and just wore white flip-flops. I kept my hair down, trying to keep it all simple. I had yet to learn about the fashion ways of the muggle, but Lily said that I already got it! Yeah me!

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A/N-Okay, I will switch points of view with Sirius and Alex only. I'm going to say so...so that you won't get confused. But you'll guess even if I don't! Reviews please! It makes me so happy! xoxo's...


	3. The Stupidity of a Black

A/N- I'm sarting with Sirius today! It seems like we haven't heard of him for awhile, and we need more pranks for him and James to pull. Suggestions please! Sad to say, I do not own anything except for some singled out characters like Alex, except for the plot, and this account. Reviews please! And hope you enjoy this...even if it turns out long...

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Oh wow.

That's all I could say. My mates got bored with Hogsmeade and Moony kept complaining that he had studying to do, so we went back to Hogwarts on his orders. And good thing too. Prongs and I were skipping up the castle steps into the entrance Hall, when Prongs stopped abruptly, staring straight up.

I followed where he was looking and stared too, only at the person beside the one James was looking at. There was Alex, not wrapped in her already great robes, but I'm not complaining, she knew how to wear muggle clothes well. She looked like she was floating, looking like a complete angel. With her nearly white dress floating around her as she glided down the stairs, her long mane of black hair, billowing behind her so gracefully, and her legs showed off perfectly. She looked windswept and exhausted, but radiantly so, since her black eyes shone bright with interest and her smile was wider than usual. I would walk to her, if only her damn boyfriend had not beat me to her.

I looked around and folded my arms. As expected, James walked over to Lily and was talking to her. Like a good friend, I made sure that he wouldn't get killed by the girl.

"It's a sunny day Evans, and you look good today. Why not go out with me while you still can?" James said confidently, messing up his hair.

"Didn't I already tell you yesterday that you are a bullying toerag?" Lily replied coolly, looking at her fingernails.

Wow. She's playing it cool. That's a move that I've never seen her do before, but I doubt that it would work.

"C'mon Evans, you know you want to. The whole world is open to us!" James pursued.

That's great. He doesn't even know how to apparate yet and the whole world is open to him. But I suppose...with the Invisibility Cloak. And suddenly I remember. Yes! it was a full moon tonight...

"Listen Potter," Lily said, grabbing the front of his robes roughly. "You are in thin ice when it comes to my patience. Go now, or you will regret it."

"No need for doing that to get close to me," James said smilingly.

I slapped my forehead. Bad move Prongs. Can't you see that she's heating up?

oh good, Alex to save the day! She skipped over to us and pulled Lily out of the conversation without permission. James looked affronted, I was amused. My amusement turned into annoyance as Lily separated herself from Alex to talk to Snivelly.

She was chatting to him animatedly, flinging her arms everywhere. Snivellus just stared at her in awe. Wonder what's caught his tongue. I hate him. Before I could do anything, James took out his wand and flicked it lightly, but shrieking "Tallantalegra!"

Immediately, Snape was jerking around uncontrollably, his legs were flinging around abysmally. Prongs and I burst out laughing, and people all round joined us. I didn't even care if Lily was glaring at us. What could she do? Oh yes, she could mutter a countercurse. And she did just that, helped Snivelly to his feet and sweared at Prongs.

James just shrugged and grinned, ruffling his hair once again. Oh, I have the greatest idea. Full moon tonight right?

I waited until Lily left Snape, and I shrugged the Marauders off. I know that they would stop me if they knew what I would do. I followed Snivellus out of the Great Hall and caught up with him.

"Snivelly! I mean, Severus," I said, the words felt like poison in my mouth.

"What do you want Black?" he turned around, and his hand disappeared beneath his robes.

"I'm not armed, look!" I said, holding up my hands.

He still glared at me with much suspicion and looked around, searching if any of my mates were around, waiting for him to put his gurad down and hex him at the right moment.

"They're not around," I said impatiently. "Listen, you wonder where Lupin goes out at night right?"

"Yes," he said curtly.

"And you know that he goes through the Whomping Willow yeah?"

"Yes."

"I can get you through it."

He stared at me with mad eyes. "How?" I sensed excitement in his flat tone.

"There's this knot, and all you gotta do is get a long stick and poke it with the stick, it's the biggest knot on the ground, which is the root. When the tree stops, get in quickly. And that's it." I clapped my hands together. "You can do it tonight, best time to do it. So as not to raise suspicion that you're onto him."

With one last look, I turned around and didn't look back. I would love to see the outcome of this. I fighted down not to laugh.

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We were all sitting comfortably by the fire. Moony was gone about a minute ago, heading up to the Shrieking Shack, we would follow later...maybe.

"Where'd you disappear to earlier?" Prongs asked me.

"I talked to Snivelly."

"About what?"

"How to get to where Moony would be. He's always poking his nose around things, he's getting what he deserves." I grinned evilly.

The reaction that I expected from James wasn't one that I imagined. His face contorted into shock and he quickly got up to his feet.

"That was stupid Padfoot!" he yelled, running out the portrait hall. "He might be killed!"

I sat there, frozen in shock. It was a good thing that there were few people there, or questions would be raised. I couldn't do anything. Not now, everything was done, all I had to do now, was to sit back, relax and wait for the news.

For what felt like minutes of sleep, I was being waken roughly. I jerked awake.

"Sirius," James said seriously. "Oy! Wake up!"

"Yeah, yeah," I said, sitting up. "What's up?"

James hit my head with a book. That hurt.

"What was that for?"

"You idiot! If I haven't got in time, Snape could have been dead meat! Imagine, not knowing that a full-grown werewolf was at the end of the passage! he isn't equipped for such a thing! That was stupid!" he said as he hit me again.

"Alright, alright, I get your point. I'm not doing it again," I waved the book away, rubbing the newly formed bump on the top of my head.

"He's in the hospital wing if you're wondering," James started, slowly began to calm down. "But this doesn't change anything. We won't be best mates." he added reassuringly. Yeah, like I need assurance. He would be lost without me, and the other way around too.

"Can we get to the Shriekin Shack now?" I whined.

"Yes, my child, we can go up now to get Wormy," James said lovingly at me, and attempted to carry me as I outstretched my arms. He carried me for about five seconds, then he dropped me on the floor.

"Excuse me," he laughed. "But I act more like a father to you than your real father actually does, so don't push it."

I grinned at him and stood up, then hit him hard on the back of his head.

Brothers indeed.

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Minutes later, the three of us were in the common room again, with James' invisibility cloak in hand.

"Invisibility cloak?" I inquired.

"Check," replied James, holding it up.

"Wands?"

"Check," he said as he held up his wand and holding up Wormtail's hand which was holding his own wand.

"Valiant Sirius Black?"

"I can see a Sirius Black, but I don't think that it's at all valiant." smirked Prongs.

I hit him hard with a cushion from a couch.

"Anyway, let's go," I said.

Prongs put the Cloak over our heads and when we made sure that our feet weren't seen, we set off out of the portrait hole, startling the Fat Lady as James gave a loud "BOO!" at her.

To support the boo, I put out my hand out of the Cloak. It must have been weird to have floating hand in midair, since she shrieked so loud, that I got temporarily deaf, until we reached the Whomping Willow.

Wormtail transformed into a rat and quickly touched the knot on the tree. The tree halted to a sudden stop and Prongs and I transformed too. We quickly went through the passage, until we got to the opening, where a werewolf was whimpering in the corner. I barked and he looked at me.

What fun we were going to have tonight...

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Alex's point of view...

I sat there in the shadows, half amused, half angry. I was in the common room. It wasn't eavesdropping exactly, but I heard Sirius' and James' conversation. Every single word. Okay, I didn't like Snape, but Black was careless to send him to where Moony was, a full grown werewolf. Yes, I know that he is one, I am not blind or stupid or ignorant. I don't have good grades for nothing.

As I overheard their conversation, I was thinking quickly. Sirius Black was much less cleverer than I give him credit for. How stupid of him to lure Snape. How Lily would be outraged if she knew, although it would subside. Well, somebody's got to tell her, and it's always good to be the bearer of bad news, since I lift up their spirits anyway.

I stayed there for awhile, and watched as the three Marauders vanished under James' invisibility Cloak. No doubt going to Remsy. I watched as the Portrait Hole opened on its own accord and closed with a loud bang. I sighed heavily. It was midnight, and I bet that Lily was sleeping already. Good thing tomorrow would be a Sunday, or she would be rather cross with me.

I strode up the stairs and went into our dormitory. When I got in, I walked purposely to Lily's bed, where her figure was dozing serenely. I gently patted her and she woke with a start. She stirred and sat up.

"What is it?" she said rubbing her droopy eyes.

"Sirius almost lured Snape into becoming a werewolf, or have a bloody death," I said quickly, hoping that it would make the blow easier. "But James saved Snape's life so, it's all good." I added.

Lily stared at me blankly. "Okay, it's all great. As long as Sev isn't harmed. Where is he?" she said rather calmly.

I was startled at her voice not raising at all. "He's in the Hospital Wing. I think you should go too."

"Oh, I will tomorrow, to visit."

"No, I mean as a patient." I said, putting my hand to her forehead to see if she had a fever. "You sure aren't reacting like I thought you would."

She slapped my hand away and said, "Nothing happened, so there's no need for trifles anymore, and I'm too dazed to argue."

"Okay, if you're sure."

With that, I walked out and headed back down again. I would talk to the boys. Nothing about the events. The whole school will know by tomorrow anyway, and I can pretend that I hadn't heard about their conversation tonight.

I stared in the depths of the fire. I was becoming ever so sentimental and humble, and it was a bit - refreshing. Maybe people will take me seriously if I start actign this way. Maybe I'll experiment if it works for me...

I heard footsteps come down from the boys dormitory, and my brothers head appeared out of the darkness. He was startled as he saw me looking up from the armchair by the fire, and said, "Why are you still up?"

"Simple, I don't feel like it yet. Why are you down here?" I said, trying to keep my composure and not do anything rash. The experiment Alex, do the experiment.

"I came down to get my book. I left it here." And he took a large book from a nearby table and sat on the arm of my chair.

"Why don't you go up?" I asked suspiciously.

"It's a tad bit uncomfortable to be in a room where all my mates are talking about my sister," he shrugged.

"It's a tad bit weird to have my brother talking about his mates in such a way."

"You didn't realize did you?"

"Realized what?"

"They liked you extremely, since you turned into quite the pretty creature in your second year."

"I don't mind." I said stiffly.

"And it's annoying that they're plotting to get you to break up with your boyfriend," he added with a mischievous smile.

I said nothing. He looked at me weirdly.

"What?" I wondered.

"You're out of it. I was expecting you to say something like 'I'll pummel them to the ground' or some other such rash act."

Again, I remained my face to be blank. Acting reserved and modest was good and easy. It wasn't as hard as being witty and having lots of expectations of wild reactions as my brother had just proved.

"okay, I'll see you in the morning then," he said when a few minutes passed without any talking. And i returned his departure with a smile.

After many minutes, the portrait hole creaked open and I turned to see James, Black and Pettigrew taking off the Cloak. All looked exhausted, but each had a twinkle of mischief in their eyes. Must have been quite tiring and exhilirating to run after a werewolf.

"Oh, it's you," James grumbled when he saw me watching them. "Didn't see you there."

"Well, you don't have to act all happy about it," I said sarcastically.

"I'm going to bed," James said, pulling Pettigrew by the collar of his shirt, since he seemed reluctant to leave the scene where Black and I could be alone.

James looked back, and grinned at Sirius, winked at both of us and departed with much noise.

Black remained where he was, standing poised in every way. He put his hands in his pockets and leaned back on the wall behind him. I turned to the fire, thinking of something to talk about. He wasn't bad really, he was likable in every aspect, but there was just something about him I didn't like, other than his way of breaking girls. We got along fine, even if he did annoy me most of the time.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. The fire was warm in my face, and this was a comfortable position that I was in. I felt Sirius sit on the coffee table where the part was in front of me, and I flicked my eyes open. He looked at me with his intense eyes, and I felt a warm rush pass through me, in spite of myself.

"Why are you up so late?" he asked seriously.

"I'm not sleepy," was my simple answer.

"I don't believe you."

"Then, what will you believe?"

"I believe that you had an argument with Lily and you refuse to come up if she doesn't apologize," was his extravagant reply.

That amused me immensely. "And where did you find that information?"

"Dunno. First thing that came into my mind." he said, leaning his elbows on his knees. "You two are inseperable."

"I know that. Same with you and James."

"Why are we having this conversation?"

"I'm not sure myself. Why? You're not used to these kinds of conversations?"

"Not particularly, but I like it," he stated.

"I need some time to just think," I confided. Where was this conversation going? Why was I having this conversation with Sirius Black? ANd most importantly, why is he being so unflirt-like with me?

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" he said, starting to get up.

"No, no, just talk to me," I said, holding his arm and pulling him to his old position. What was happening to me???

"What is it?"

"Nothing. I'm just--I don't know."

"What?"

"Okay, even Lily doesn't know, so promise not to tell."

"Fine. I promise not to tell, then," he said earnestly.

"I'm getting along fine with Thad. It's just that, he's suffocating me, with too much attention. Then he just said a while ago that he loved me, and that really put me off, since I didn't say anything and he asked why not, so I said I loved him back, and I felt like I was lying. We don't click as well as we did before. I'm not like, in love with him. Maybe I just dated him because he's older, and, I dunno."

As I spoke, Sirius knit his brows, as if in deep thought. And his reply was

"Then break up with him."

He said it like it was so easy, and I paused to think. He wasn't a stranger to these things, so why not listen to him for once in my life? Maybe it would even make me happier, and I might even make another person happier too. Maybe, possibly one of my brother's friends who say that they so like me.

I gazed at him, and he looked back. We shared this silent agreement and in moments, we went to our dormitories and parted.

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A/N- okay, this isn't as long as my other one's...and it took me long to do, since I was so busy this month, being Christmas and all. I hoped you liked it and Happy Christmas to you all. Give me a review as your gift! xoxo's 


	4. To Annoy Someone's New Year

A/N- My holidays were great! Hope yours was too! I hope you like this chapter, I thought long and hard...reviews please!

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My house was bustling with busy people. My mom and dad hosted a New Years dinner every year, and it was exclusively for Pureblood family friends and friends of our ancestors, stuff like that. Not that we don't like muggle-borns, we just have traditions and all, and some of the purebloods invited are--critical and horrible about muggle-borns, so, it's best not to invite them at all.

It always started at 8:30 in the evening, always took place at our mansion, always had the same people or the descendants and so on. By this time, Sirius and I were good acquaintances, and that was enough for now, I don't want to be friends with him yet.

On the day before new year, I was lounging about in the pool, floating on my back. The air outside was fine, and it didn't snow where our main mansion was. It was just 6pm, so, I was in no hurry to get dressed up just yet. I could smell the scent of the food that was being cooked outside. We always had dishes from different countries, and a lot were from Asia. I liked sushi and sashimi the best.

The bell outside rang, meaning that there was a guest. I quickly swam to the edge of the pool and got out, and put on a silk robe, but not tying it up.

I peeped at the window of the house to see if they were in the vast ballroom which lead to the garden where the pool was. Nope, no one there. So, I peeped in a small passage leading to the front of the house, and saw two people coming to where I was. Obviously, mother let them in.

I stood in the middle and waited to see who they were. I heard of fashionably late, but fashionably early? How ridiculous.

As the two people came out of the shadows of the wall of hedges, I saw who they were, and it surprised me to see them. Sirius and his brother, Regulus, were coming through the white gate that was in the way.

Sirius' handsome face sniggered at the sight of me in a one-piece, black and white bathing suit and short shorts, wrapped loosely in silk, and I gave him a face that would have sent anybody sane to run away. Regulus was less handsome than his older brother, though was acceptable, in every aspect. I heard that he got himself a hot girlfriend in Slytherin, Laira Zabini, who was in my year. Bravo Regulus, bravo. Even if I'm not sure if they are together.

"Why're you so early?" I asked suspiciously.

"Home isn't a good place to be today," Sirius said boredly.

"You're just annoyed that mother praises me so much and you, never," Regulus said haughtily.

I laughed at this retort.

"I don't need that old bat to praise me, it would be an insult if she did," Sirius sneered.

And of they went into a heated argument. I knew that Sirius hated the whole lot of his family, but I never witnessed it in action so privately before. In public, both acted with maturity in their fights, using big words that were hard to follow.

I left them to their bickering and took off my robe, which caused the brothers to stop. I glided to the edge and while jumping in, pulled Sirius and Regulus in the pool with me. Good thing that they were both just in their jeans and t-shirts, or it would have been such a disgrace to appear at the dinner, with their dress robes damp and wrinkled. If they wore their dress robes, that is.

Okay, I splashed them and quickly swam to the other end, while Sirius followed, Regulus got out, and we had a capital time!

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In the eyes of the eldest Black brother...

Alex sent me and my stupid younger brother to the guest room to get changed. We both brought clothes and dressed in silence. I hated him, the suck-up. I had no idea why people said that we look alike, I never see it.

I stepped out of the room the minute that I was fully dressed, and waited at the enormous and overdecorated ballroom. I waited a good thirty minutes, before Alex graced me with her presence, looking stunning in her black silk gown. Her hair was in disarray, with strands coming out of her loose bun on the top of her head, and this suited her better, making her look effortlessly beautiful. Wow Sirius, you've really outdone yourself with your words.

I Watched her as she was running around the ballroom, barefoot and trying to put on her heels while running. I looked around and I saw my brother watching her too, who was trying to look like he wasn't interested, but failing miserably.

It was 8pm, people would start coming right now. Good thing that my mother is going to be late. She finds it a fuss to rush for a certain time, and that she was too important to even rush, that it would be an honor for her to even be in the presence of other horrid people like herself. The diva. I hate this time of the year, always did, always will. People always criticize me and wish that I were more like Regulus blah blah and effing blah.

The only reason that I can stand these dinners was because Alex would always be there to lighten things up. She was a favorite, them saying how well that she was raised, and they never called her blood traitor, not once.

I need to get her. We knew each other since we were born, and it would be fitting to catch the hardest catch of them all. I've caught too much already, it's pouring out of my hands, but somehow, she's a hard one, and that's why I like it.

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Back to Alex...

Everything was set, and my parents couldn't complain anymore. I arranged everything to their liking and all was perfectly planned. There was only one table in the middle of the huge ballroom. One very long, elegantly designed, antique silver table that could seat 25 people on each side and 4 people on the ends. That's pretty long if you ask me, you can't fuss.

People were lead to their seats and started chatting to each other, trying to subtly show off the expensive, but ugly, antique jewelry that they wore. I watched everyone from my place near the end of the table, sucking on a grapefruit. I was sat beside Regulus. Dunno why. Usually, I was sat beside some old geezer that could barely talk and was like, a hundred years old, because the married people say that 'it's not proper for a young lady to be seated next to a fellow her age.' Yeah, whatever.

Let me explain better. My parents arrange the dinner, but that doesn't mean that other people don't participate. My dad and Sirius's dad were mates back then, and Sirius' mom makes the seat plan, so, yeah.

Out of nowhere, somebody says, "Don't you think that the two of them would make a lovely couple?"

The two of who?

"I rather agree. I'm hoping that she would come into the family by my son." said Mrs. Black.

Umm...she who? I don't get it.

"Let's not rush things now. She's only fifteen. We don't need to get things like these into her head," my mother retorted.

Okay, I'm following...the only fifteen year old people here, are me, Sirius, Hannah, Annie and some 3 other blokes who I've never talked to. Regulus was the youngest, being 14.

"I'd rather discuss it right now. To keep her out of other relations," Mrs. Black said seriously. "I don't want her running around with some other person."

"Who are you talking about?" I wondered out loud.

"Why, you and Regulus of course!" Mrs. Black said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

The smile on Sirius' face got wiped off, the minute that she said 'Regulus'. He must have known that it was about me, but thought that the 'son' was him. Okay...anyway...WHAT THE BLOODY--? I'm fifteen years old for Merlin's sake! You're talking about me marrying Regulus? No way. I will not accept it. I am single and very happy right now, thank you very much (I broke up with Thad before Christmas, took Sirius' advice and did it)! Woah there piggy.

"Excuse me?" I said as politely as I could. "When have you arranged such matters?"

"I have presumed that it would just happen all in itself."

"She will choose who she wants to marry, Moira," my father interrupted.

"Are you meaning to say that you don't approve of my son?" it wasn't Mrs. Black who spoke this time, but Mr. Black. The whole room silenced and watched this conversation with much interest.

"I am not saying any of the sort. I'm pointing out that my daughter has a say in her life, whether you and your wife like it or not," father replied coldly.

Go dad! Say it like it is!

"What if I end up with the other son?" I teased to Mr. and Mrs. Black. I knew how much they were ashamed of him; I didn't tease about him because I had affection for Sirius!

"It would not be allowed," Mr. Black said without any hesitation. "I will not allow you to be disgraced as well. I disapprove heartily of what Sirius has become."

My lips curved on the sides. It would be so fabulous to kiss Sirius right now...

I stood up as noticeably as I could, but that was no longer needed, since everyone was watching me intently. I walked around the table to where Sirius was. When I reached his place, I bent down and placed a hand on his neck and gave him a petite kiss on his lips. What a way to annoy his parents. No tongue, never. I would not allow that, but this was a very excellent opportunity.

"Too late, I ended up with him already," I said to Mr. Black, with my hand still on Sirius' neck.

Mr. Black's pale face turned even paler and all the color drained out of him. Regulus had slits for eyes and was pointed at Sirius' direction. Sirius smiled with a satisfaction of a smirk on his haughty face.

I sure hope that he knows that I only kissed him because it would rage his parents.

I walked briskly out of the room and went to the nearest bathroom, which was just across the hall. Going in, I washed my face with hot water and dried it off with a towel. All my make-up got washed off too. And it was better. I liked it better without heaps of it on my face. I was uglier with make-up anyway.

I just put on a thin layer of lip gloss onto my lips and put down the lid of the toilet and sat on it. I buried my face in my hands and enjoyed the contrast between my hot eyelids and the cool marble.

I hear the door swing open and look up. It was Sirius.

"What do you want?" I said rather crossly than intended.

"That was just to piss my parents off, wasn't it?" he said, pointing out the door.

"Good you know. We have to pretend as good as we can. Maybe we can even believe that we're really together, to make to make it look better." I said, feeling hyped up. This could be my prank of the year!

"Great. They'd kill me when we get home," he said mischievously, with a light glint in his eyes.

"Let's get back in, it would annoy them so much!" I said, pulling him with me.

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In Grimmauld place...as Sirius...

"You will stop seeing her," father said to me sternly.

"I will not," I said stubbornly, trying not to laugh at how he thought that I was together with Alex. It was cruel of Alex to use me like this, but this time, I liked it.

"Regulus will be a much better match for her."

"And since when has darling Regulus been in a serious relationship?"

"He will learn."

"He's a year younger than her," I said rather childishly.

"That makes no difference. Do you know that your mother is three years older than I am? She just does not own up to it when asked."

This little bit of information surprised me. This was how little I knew of my own mother.

"Well, does Alex like Regulus anyway?" I argued, still.

"She will learn to love him."

"Love? Yeah, when I turn into a muggle and mudblood hater," I muttered. That's how impossible it is.

"Then it is near. You just said mudblood." father pointed out.

"I said muggle-born," I lied.

"You have a year then. We will decide of your fate when Regulus turns fifteen. If you say that he is too young."

We'll see. By that time, I would have Alex for my own, for REAL.

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I'm sorry if you're getting confused, but we have to get back to Alex...

I'm back at Hogwarts! Me and my brother flooed there just today and we had this weekend before lessons would start again.

Professor McGonagall gave a nod to show that she knew we were there, and continued reading. We went out of her office and walked to the Gryffindor common room.

"Do you really like Sirius?" he asked me, while walking.

"No." I said. My brother doesn't care really. He's too late in being overprotective, but he still can be at times.

"Then why are you pretend dating him?"

"Dear brother," I said exeggeratingly. "You of all people must know!"

"Prank of the year?" he smirked like he read my mind.

Oh s, now I have to have a different one.

"No," I lied.

"Then what is it?"

I was about to answer him, but I was spared to answer when we opened the Portrait Hole and were bombarded by his friends.

"Is it true?" Theodore, the blonde, blue eyed, asked me.

"Is what true?" I asked back.

"That you and Thad broke up?" he said eagerly.

How news travelled fast, even during vacation.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"Craig's rommates with him, in Ravenclaw," Theodore explained. "One night, Thad just came in with red eyes and refused to answer any questions. And started bursting into tears when your name came up. It was pretty funny actually."

Aww...how sweet...Thad really does love me. How sad for him though.

Nate was trying to look around anywhere, but at me. He was hiding something and I knew it.

"Nathan!" I said sharply. "What did you do?"

"You're dating Theo now."

"And when did I agree to that?"

"Theo promised to give me some really good stuff for Christmas, only if I set him up with you," Nate said as nicely as he could, but to me, he only sounded plain, evil.

"You sold me out," I said slowly. "For Christmas presents..."

"Sounds better the way I said it."

"What kind of brother sells their sister out?" I asked coldly.

"The brother who's concerned."

"And how does that make you concerned?" I asked, bewildered by his reply.

"I know who you're dating, what he does, how sincere he is," he smirked. "And how horny he gets." he added, like it was the most important thing.

I thought for a moment. Hmmm...Theodore was good-looking, in the Quidditch team, quite popular, has fairly good grades. Maybe not as good as the three Marauders and my mates, but not everyone could be as talented as us, the selected few. I weighed the positive and negatives. Negatives? The only one I could think of was that he was my brother's best friend, and that might pose as a tiny problem, adding restrictions and boundaries. But other than that, nothing else.

"Fine," I said looking them all in the eye. "As long as it's a silent arrangement and not a public one like I know all of you do when you date."

Theodore saluted in agreement and grinned widely at his mates. And as an afterthought, I added:

"And you'll agree with the new hairdo that I'll be sporting in honor of the new year."

Theodore's grin lessened slightly, and looked at me with intent eyes. He said, "What new look?"

"This new look."

I saw a pair of scissors on the table, meant for, I have no idea, and without thinking, I grabbed my ponytail, and I cut my hair above the elastic. My head felt unusually light and airy around the neck, and I took a look at the cut up, still tied up hair in my left hand. My brother and his friends stared at me, with quite blank faces, not knowing how to react. I look at the mirror beside me, and saw that my hair was uneven on all sides, quite short at the back and long at the sides. My top part looked still reached to the back of my neck.

With some few moments of examining, I cut up the hair on the sides a bit more, until it was only a few inches long, the same length as the hair on the back of my head. I stared at the top for awhile, thinking hard on what to do. And it jus simply screamed 'MOHAWK'. I cut the little bit of hair that was dangling on the back, until the back of the head's hair was visible. There...I could always regrow it anytime.

I looked edgier, better actually. If you like intimidating people more than you do already.

During the whole time that I cut my hair, the guys just watched me in awe. No one even dared to stop me, for they might make me do something wrong. Plus, they didn't know that I knew how to regrow my hair...

"Still want to date me, Teddy?" I asked slyly, hoping that he would say those two little letters forming into one word.

But to my utter dismay, he said, "Hell yeah! I like this better than before!"

I stood there, still holding that handful of long hair in my left hand, I didn't even notice that it was still there in my hand. Is he kidding me? I may have said that I approved, but I never said that I liked it. I thought that guys liked gripping and pulling on girl's hair, liked to caress it in their fingers. So...why the hell did he like this look?

I cleaned out my ear with my index finger, thinking that I heard wrong, and said "What? Are you serious?"

"I'm into not so girly-girls, so, I reckoned that's why I like it," he replied.

Nate looked at me with a slight sorrow in his eyes. He always liked my long, black hair, and had pride that I grew it out so lovelily. He said that it was the thing that he thought that was so pretty about me. I know, weird for brothers, but I know that he loves me...in spite of the fact that I tease him all the time with his girlfriends...

I stared at Teddy (let's call him that from now on, since Theodore sounds so...formal and stiff, and I don't like Theo) with bewilderment. I sighed and tucked my hair into my pocket. It was sleek and black and shiny and straight and had no defect, and it was such a waste to throw it away. Maybe I would just keep one long, perfect lock and keep it in a silver locket, and keep the others away in my trunk. I'm a bit sentimental when it comes to my hair, just like my brother.

I crossed my arms and looked at the boys expectantly. Who was I going to hang out with while my friends weren't here yet? Obviously, it would have to be them. Take it or leave it, Alex. Oh, maybe it would be a better idea to go incognito and just burst out later in the Great Hall to make a great big entrance to show of my new hair! That would be better...

I walked away from them and touched the back of my neck, quite conscious of the huge black mole in the center. Argh! This mole is the reason why I keep my hair long!

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I waited until it was dinner that night. I kept well out of sight when someone came into the dormitory and hid behind my bed. When I came down and no one was left in the common room, I knew that everyone was at dinner, and that everyone was back. Since I saw Lily bringing up her things awhile ago, I was sure that the whole school was back. Definitely an entrance, and I knew that everyone was wondering where I was. I make a big impact like that...

Okay, I better go down now. I took a great big breath and started heading down. When I reached the entrance hall, the doors to the Great Hall were closed. Oh yeah, the coming back feast, I forgot about that...oh well, if I get in trouble, I don't care.

I pushed the doors open with all my might, and I have to admit that they were heavy. Every head turned to my direction and stared at me idly. People were holding chicken legs halfway to their mouths, but sat, holding it to their mouths, agape with surprise. The Slytherins were looking at me with utter interest, like I was some kind of circus freak or something. I got along well with them, being pureblood and well-connected, and so, they didn't laugh. They wouldn't dare. My fellow Gryffindors watched me, yes, even my brother and his friends, as if they have forgotten that I cut my hair off, some with admiration and some with undecidedness on how to feel.

I smiled, satisfied. good, I made a great impact with this little, big change.

I sat next to Lily and my mates, as they stared at me like the others. Finally, people kept back to their work and eating, but taking quck glances at me like they weren't sure if their eyes were only deceiving them.

"Why?" Lily said.

"Dunno. Just happened on the spur of the moment," I shrugged.

"I think you look good," piped in Hannah.

"Bit different, but I think that you need a change. Good thing that it suits you," Annie said indifferently.

"Good that you feel that way. I think that Nate is rather ashamed," I said as carelessly as I could.

"When?" Lily asked.

"Just today."

"How?"

"Well, you take scissors and snip them to your hair. It's rather easy when you know how to do it, using scissors I mean."

"Where?"

"Seriously Lily, I'm rather disappointed that you're just asking questions with one word in it."

"Fine. How could you?"

Okay, here comes the lecture...shouldn't have encouraged her.

"You're hair was so pretty. Now, it's just a scruffy puff on your head. I have no idea why you have done such an idiotic thing, and I bet that your parents don't even know. How could you even think of doing such a thing-?" And when she paused to take in breath, I interrupted-

"Lily, everyone's okay with it, you're the only one who cares that much! And it's my hair!"

"Fine, I'm just saying what I think." she said grumpily.

"Thank you for your opinions, but what's done is done, and I can always grow it back. It's just hair, for Merlin's sake."

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A/N- I enjoyed making this for some reason. It was just something that I thought and made up as I went. Right. I need reviews, as much as you can. I don't care how long, and I'll give a reply to every single one, so don't fret! xoxo's! 


	5. My Head Hurts

A/N- I feel so down today...I'm in one of my moods today and refuse to do anything but write and type and think, all alone in the peace and quiet. Hope you like this chapter. Reviews please.

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I feel so dreadful today. I feel like my head is about to explode from all the pain. And I've had pain before, meaning, the Cruciatus Curse from Lord Voldemort himself. He was punishing and it hit me by accident. You don't even want or need to know the story. All you need to know is, I was six, and he killed someone in front of me. I never want to see that green light ever again. Or those merciless red eyes. I told you that I'm well-connected. My family aren't supporters, but our family friends are, and oh, did we get involved without voulunteering. I never want to talk about anything dark anymore. Period.

Anyway, I think I have a fever. This morning, my eyes were bloodshot, I had dark bags under my eyes, it hurt to smile or laugh, I felt hot, Lily said I looked horrible and suggested that I go to the Hospital Wing. I refused, since lessons were crucial this time of year. Our O.W.L.s were coming up, and I had to do well in everything.

I didn't eat anything for breakfast, since the smell of food made me want to throw up. I didn't pay attention at all in lessons, which made it useless that I didn't go to the Hospital Wing that morning.

I only agreed to go when I threw up before lunch, running as fast as I could for the nearest bathroom in sight. I went straight up there, supported by Hannah and Lily, since I couldn't walk straight, for my feet felt numb.

Madame Pomfrey took one look at me and tutted in disagreement, muttering things like 'should have brought her to me earlier' and 'shouldn't have been worse if she'd been treated already.' I had no idea what was so bad. She could just whip up a potion and make me feel all better, like she normally does.

Instead, she seated me in one of the beds and dismissed my friends. She made me change into those white hospital clothes and take a rest on the bed. She went out of sight for a few minutes and came back with a large green bottle in her hand.

"What is it?" I croaked. It was all I could do. My throat seared as I spoke.

"You have the Magical kind of fever, dear. We don't have a specific name for it, since we have different ways of having it. Some have boils on their face and body, and have a high fever. Some lose their hair, and still have that high fever. Or some such other thing. You have only received the little blow of it, don't worry, but you will experience pain, I'll tell you that. Let's just call this the-Blue Fever then. It's what people call it. The only thing that's the same about it is the fever, that is so high, that it is almost dangerous." she explained quickly.

"But then, won't you catch it?"

"No, of course not. Thank Merlin for it too! We only get this once in our life. When I had it, my skin turned pink and I couldn't feel a thing for weeks!"

I laughed at what she said, but immediately stopped. It made my stomach hurt, my throat sear even more, and my head spin. A small blow of it? I'd take the no hair over this any day! I may not look pink or have boils, but my inside was looking as bad as any of those!

"How long do you reckon?" I whispered.

"How long? Dear me, I have no idea. It may take days, maybe weeks! We'll just have to see your progress for this week. No stress please. It will do you good to relax and do nothing for a bit," she told me kindly.

I nodded in frustration. My neck began to hurt when I moved. Good thing that I couldn't feel my legs.

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What Sirius sees...

Alex was confined in the Hospital Wing. It's been about a week since she's started staying there. You could really see the difference of the ambiance when she started missing. Her lively presence was very much missed during those uneventful nights in the Great Hall. The classroom seemed to be empty of half the class, without her in it. People walked the hallways, waiting to see if her confidence would once again walk these hallways, but would find themselves disappointed, for she would never show up. The Gryffindor common room was quiet, despite James' and my efforts to liven it up a bit. The mornings seemed to be duller by the day, without her smile brightening up everyone's day.

Lily looked grumpier the longer Alex was gone. Alex balanced her out, since they were total opposites. Without Alex, Lily would be an old grump all the time, and people missed Alex everytime Lily would scold.

I haven't even visited her all this time. Didn't even think of it. With everything going on, I was busy, too busy to even think to have time to visit. but since it was a Saturday, I think that I could squeeze her in.

I entered the Hospital Wing, carrying sunflowers that I ordered especially for her. I went straight for the bed where the curtains half covered Alex, who was reading a big old book.As I drew nearer, she looked up and gave me a hearty smile that I missed so much, as well as the others. I never appreciated how warm her smile was, and receiving it especially, it brightened up my day to considerable heights.

Her smile was bright, but everything else about her was a bit dim than I had remembered of her a week ago. Her tan skin had a slight tinge of gray, her eyes were kind of sad, despite the smile. Her hair was a mess on the top of her head, since her mohawk hadn't been kept right. Her lips were chapped and looked like and unwatered flower. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked exhausted.

As I paused to look away from her, I saw that she had a great deal of presents about her bed. Apparantely, I'm not the only person in school that missed her. Even the bed beside hers was occupied with little trinkets and sweets of concern and love.

"How sweet of you to come and bring me flowers," she said softly.

"This? I didn't bring this for you. I was just on my way and thought I'd stop by," I joked. And to my astonishment, she just smiled again and didn't argue.

"Is everything fine dear?" Madame Pomfrey popped her head out of the door of her office.

"Would it be okay if Sirius just stayed Miss Poppy?" Alex said weakly.

"Of course not. Just don't make him tire you alright?" Madame Pomfrey replied kindly, and disappeared behind the door.

Oh, I'm tiring her out with all my jokes.

"Are you alright?" I said, conjuring up a vase and putting the flowers in it and putting it on her bedside table.

Of course she's not alright stupid! Why would she be in the hospital wing if she was? I looked at her, but she just kept on smiling.

"Why do you keep on doing that?" I said, indicating her mouth with my index finger.

"It hurts to do anything else," she said simple, wincing a bit as she sat up straighter.

"Even to laugh?"

"Even to laugh."

"So, how is my darling pretend girlfriend?"

"Doing better than a few days ago," she replied so softly that I had to bend down closer to hear.

"Just rest darling, it's okay. Don't talk anymore, just close your eyes and drift away," I said as gentlemanly as I could, putting my index finger and middle finger on her eyelids and closing them slowly.

She obeyed and lay quite still, and after a few minutes, her breathing was deep and slow. I sat on the chair next to her bed, and watched her sleeping. How pretty she was, even when she was sick. What a challenge she was for me. How nice she was to me when she was this sick. It was a pain to see her like this, since I had a crush on this girl for being so strong and adventurous, yet now, so weak and sickly.

I took hold of her hand and pressed it to my cheek. They were soft and smooth. It smelled like chocolates.

"What are you doing?" a voice said behind me.

I looked around and saw Theo, one of Alex's brother's mates, who was looking at me like I just hexed him.

"Is it a crime to visit someone?" I asked rudely.

"It is when you start getting sweet with someone else's girlfriend," he growled.

"She isn't yours."

"We kept it secret, stupid 5th year," he said madly. "I don't have to tell you everything."

You are so dead. No one calls me stupid.

"Stupefy," I bellowed, forgetting that we were in the Hospital Wing.

What did I do? Man, I would be so dead. Not from the seventh year, but from Madame Pomfrey. Theo dropped to the floor with a thud, his hand in his robes, as a feeble attempt to defend himself.

"What's going on?" as predicted, Madame Pomfrey came out, looking alert, from Theo's limp body, to the wand in my hand.

"Out. Get out! Detention tonight!" she shouted at me.

I glanced at Alex, who seemed to have woken up right before I shouted the stunning spell, and witnessed the argument. She gazed back with hollow eyes, a blank stare that I could never fathom. Her smile vanished from her face. This was worse than having the Cruciatus curse. That blazing look from a sick person is very frightening.

Without another word, I left the Hospital Wing in a rush, trying to get her expression out of my head.

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Alex...

The day just after that horrible fight that I witnessed, I grew worse. That morning, my head started spinning every time that I moved, my lips were turning red to a very surprising speed, my heart beat so fast, my fever was rising by the hour, and I lost all feeling from my chest and below. My eyes were scarlet, and I lost all the will to eat. Miss Poppy was beginning to panic. She said that I should have started getting better by now, and that I should consult with the headmaster on what to do. On whether I should stay at St. Mungo's or just continue my treatment here.

That afternoon, Professor Dumbledore came and felt my forehead with the back of his hand. He looked rather gravely at me. He inquired with Miss Poppy on what medications had been given to me, and looked even more grave after she had told him anxiously.

"I'm afraid that you have received the worst blow of it," he told me. "I do not blame Poppy for not recognizing the seriousness of your type of fever. It is more on the internal pain than the outer and this fever is known that the uglier you look outside, the worse it is, which makes it more dangerous that you don't even look ugly at all.

"I will arrange for you to stay at St. Mungo's, and I will inform your parents of your predicament. I will have your healer send me daily reports. I grieve for you, Miss Hernandez, such hollow this castle has been since your confinement."

I felt rather touched that these words came from the headmaster. I have never been close enough to a conversation with him before, and I thought that he didn't even know me at all. How happy I was that I even made an impact on Albus Dumbledore!

I could not move as I pleased, and I could not talk as loud as I wanted, so I just smiled, just like I always did when people visited me. He smiled back, gave a nod at Miss Poppy, and departed with much speed for a man his age.

The healers came and secured me on a bed. I was brought out of the castle, feeling very humiliated and embarrassed, being in this hovering bed, with messy hair, going about the castle in it! So, as a habit, I smiled at anyone who looked, but never daring to move or tilt my head, for I might feel severe pain again.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Lily running toward me, with anxiety in her face. She reached me and walked by me, still moving. The healers did not cantradict. Bless them.

"What's wrong? Where are you going?" Lily asked, with a pained look in her face.

"St. Mungo's..." I murmured, and my throat felt like it was burning.

"What?? Is it that bad?" her eyes were the size of saucers.

I stared at her with a look. The best that I could do anyway. Maybe it worked, since Lily shrugged and looked sympathetic at the same time. I smiled at her. Okay, I'm getting freaked out about smiling all the time...I'm giving it out these smiles for free? To every single person in this school...urgh.

Lily got pushed aside by other people and they asked me the same thing as Lily. The healers did mind now. They screamed out warnings and asked me if I was okay. I widened my eyes to signal that I was, but I squinted them as Black shoved to get beside me, and in the corner of my eye, I saw a person hit by the the Jelly legs jinx. Black...you are so dead when I get back.

"You'll miss me right?" he smirked at me.

I looked at him coldly, and he seemed to get the message. Good. He knows what he did. And to my delight, Teddy fought his way to get to me too. Oh, the fight that occured, it made me want to scream and cheer. But to my dismay, my condition limited me to do it. I was forced to watch idly as Teddy and Black were on the floor and Black was being thumped on the head with a big backpack. I folded my lips to stop laughing. Their view disappeared as we turned the corner leading to the Marble Staircase. Awww...killjoys.

The moment that we were out of the grounds, they quickly apparated me to get to the hospital. I never apparated before, and I certainly didn't like the feeling. It was already hard to breather with this fever thank you, I don't need this to kill me too.

Dear me, the welcome I received from my parents when I got there..whew! It was much more exhausting than I thought. They bombarded the Healers with questions that I didn't even understand...must be something really bad then. I watched in the sidelines while they waved their hands wildly in the air and screamed so loud that it was getting embarrassing.

People all around were starting to stare. Okay...please stop now...

"You'll be okay darling," my mother trilled, after being calmed down by the alarmed Healers.

"Yes," my father said, nodding his head at nothing whatsoever. "They'll take care of you. You'll have the best healers and treatments. You'll be better in no time at all."

Right. Let's get up to a ward now. I'm getting tired.

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I stayed a week there, and felt better every day! It was bloody boring, but I feel better. My throat started not hurting by the third day I was there. My fever started going down by the fourth. My head stopped pounding when I took this really disgusting tasting medicine. I started getting talkative again, and I looked better. No more purple eyebags! Yeah!

I shared a ward with this other dude. He was my age too, and had the Blue fever too, only, his hair turned pink, his lips were blue, and his hands kept changing color by the hour, but we both had raging fevers at first. He looked pretty comical, it was totally entertaining...I kept laughing when I found out that his hands changed color, cause I totally freaked out when his hands turned from a bright orange to a murky brown. Okay, that medicine made me pretty loopy, and isolation from the other people was lonely anough for me to make friends with him.

I shall describe him then. His name was Matteo, but I liked to call him Dooey. He had handsome black eyes, it was like looking in the depths of his soul, when you looked at him properly. When his colors cleared up, I found out that his natural hair was black. He had really pale skin. It was a good contrast to his dark hair and eyes. He was my best friend for that week I was there. He was a shy boy at first, barely talking to me, but I can break people out of their shell if I want to.

He was really funny when he started warming up to me. He always teased me when I started looking wistful, saying if I missed my boyfriend and stuff like that.

We got out the same day. I promised to keep in touch, and I told him to just floo me when he wanted. I asked him where he studied but he told me that he was just visiting, and was really from somewhere in Greece. It was just unfortunate that he had the Blue fever when he was visiting and he wasn't strong enough to go back to Greece to get well there. His parents greeted him, they were a happy bunch. He had two sisters. How handsome they were. One was younger and one was older. The older one had long wavy brown hair and brown eyes too, was tall and slender. The younger one had short black hair and black eyes, had a handsome nose and thin lips. The dad had wavy brown hair and looked important. The mom had a sweet, kind face that looked so motherly and pretty. Apparantely, they had to leave the moment that Dooey got well. As sadness ebbed through me, I waved as the family vanished around the corner and I thought that I would never see them again.

My own parents got to St. Mungos around fifteen minutes after they left, and brought me to Hogwarts. They gave me a sad look when it was time for them to go. I gave them a sweet kiss on their cheeks and gave them a happy wave.

I ran up to the steps of the castle until my cheeks flushed when I got tired and I ran out of breath. All I wanted was to see Lily again and talk to my best frined. Confinement really was lonely, and I missed people...

"Lily!" I shouted in the Entrance Hall, and a red head turned around and her pretty green eyes flashed with joy.

People all around turned their heads and had the similar glint in their eyes, but I paid them no mind. I ran straight to Lily with my arms outstretched, ready to suffocate her. She got to me and got first though, and she kept squealing, "You're back, you're back, you're back!"

"Yes darling, I'm back," I said, choking and patting her back at the same time.

"You don't know how sad it's been since you left," she said, letting go of me.

"How sad?"

"Let me put it to you this way, everyone in this castle, even the teachers, had droopy eyes and Potter and Sirius were jinxing everyone in sight who kept talking about when you came back, because we all missed you so much! And the mention of you always made Annie burst out in tears. It was all a bummer without you, and we only noticed how much you were to us when you were gone."

"Aww...I am so touched that you missed me, but what really happened?" I laughed, thinking it was a joke.

Lily stared at me with a straight face and said, "I just told you, weren;t you listening?"

"OI! HERNANDEZ!" someone shouted from the top of the stairs.

I looked around and saw my dear brother stomping down the stairs in a great pace.

"I AM NOT TALKING TO YOU!" I screamed in his ear when he was standing right in front of me.

"OUCH!" he screamed back. "Come here you." And he put my head under his arm and rubbed the top of my head with his other hand.

"Get off me!" I said, pushing him away.

"Aww...little sis. Didn't you miss me?"

"Not a bit."

"Okay then," and he leaned down and put his arms around my waist and carried me on his shoulder, then stomped off outside, leaving Lily speechless. She never saw him play with me when we were kids.

"Let go stupidhead!" I said, hitting his back with my fists.

"Not 'til you admit that you missed me! And hurry up! you're heavier than you were when you were nine years old!" he said, but looked like he could carry me all day.

Okay, he could carry me, but my stomach was starting to hurt from the bones in his shoulder.

"Alright, alright," I panted. "I missed you! Put me down now!"

"Like you mean it!" he laughed.

I made my body relax and go limp, hoping that he would think that I fainted. This worked, since he put me down on the grass and started shaking me.

"Boo!" I shouted, waving my hand on his face and running quickly inside.

I pulled Lily up the stairs and coming up two at a time. Some people didn't know that I was back yet and yelled out my name, but I didn't see who they were, because I never looked back. Soon, Lily was running alongside me with a mischievous grin on her face, and she looked at me still grinning. We ran up and up flights of stairs until we couldn't run anymore and reached the tower leading to the Ravenclaw common room.

"Want to go in?" I panted.

"Where?"

"Ravenclaw tower!"

"Isn't there a password?" Lily said, starting to look scared.

"Don't be a baby! And no, you don't need a password, Craig told me that they just needed to answer this question."

"I'm a prefect!" Lily said, pointing at the badge indignantly.

"Fine, I'm going. I want to see what it looks like."

"I have to go and keep an eye on you."

"Good, now let's go!"

I climbed up the spiral stairs, up and up until I reached a door with a bird knocker on a door.

"What gives the illusion of luck?" it said when I knocked.

"Easy. Felix Felicis is the potion that does it," I said confidently.

"Smart for a fifth year, you only learn in sixth year about it, I believe," the bird replied.

"How did you know I was a fifth year?" I asked.

The bird kept still and did not talk. I just shrugged and pulled Lily in the common room. It was a much prettier sight than the Gryffindor common room, and there was a statue of a beautiful Rowena Ravenclaw. I looked up at her pretty face, with the proud look of it. And I remembered the Grey Lady, who was similar to this beauty.

"What are you doing here?" a voice said behind us.

"Just looking around," I said wistfully, not looking around, but kept staring at Rowena Ravenclaw's beautiful face.

"Then look around."

Annoyed, I looked around as Lily was standing in a fright, looking at the person. It was the head boy. Remember him? Thad? Yes? No? Maybe? He was looking at me like Lily wasn't even there.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I forgot that he was my ex. So, out of complete idiocy, I smiled innocently and remained with amnesia that I broke this dude's heart.

"Hi Thaddy!" I shouted and ran over to him and hugged him like he was my brother.

When I let go, he looked at me like I had gone mad. Maybe I did go mad for awhile, since I continued on and said, "How are you? You look blonder!" and I ruffled up his hair.

"Are you okay?" he said, looking me up and down, holding my shoulders at arms length.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I said in complete puzzlement.

"I dunno, you must be pretty loopy from coming back, so...can you leave before someone catches you in here?"

"Yeah sure."

I looked around and didn't see Lily around. She must've sneaked away when my attention was drawn away. She will pay later. I darted out the room and ran down the stairs as fast as I could, and recklessly taking my wand out. It did some friction thing with the wall when I was in a deserted part of the school, and had gold sparks go out of it. What I didn't notice was that it started a small fire.

I got down to the Entrance Hall, panting and looking around wildly as my hair flapped around me. Where are you Lily?

"Hey Alex-"

"How are you-?"

"Good to have you back-!"

"We missed you-!"

"WHERE'S LILY!?" I screamed over the other people.

"I think she's in the Great Hall," someone said.

"Thanks!" I yelled to no one in particular, and running to the Great Hall.

I looked around and found Lily at the end of the Gryffindor table, drinking gobs and gobs of water. Aw...she's tired. I lose my anger when I see someone helpless. And all the anger in me vanished.

"Hey Lil!"

"Alex! Do not ask me to do that again," she replied gravely. "Your first day back and you're already getting me in trouble."

I grinned devilishly, not knowing that it would be the famous smile in later years. Of course, I was always oblivious to what I was doing, so...it kind of hurts me when people say that I'm full of myself. But mostly, they're wannabe girls. Other girls are nicer.

Guys are nicer though. And they buy me stuff when I don't feel like using my own gold, they're really nice. How thoughtful they are. Haha.

"What do we do now?" I asked Lily, after silence that I hadn't counted how long.

We went up to get to the Gryffindor common room. And someone was screaming from below "FIRE! FIRE! THE WHOLE FLOOR IS ON FIRE!"

How peculiar. That was the deserted corridor that sparks came out of my eand. Uh-oh. I might have started the fire, but how queer that it turned out so big in such a short time! it can't be so bad. I mean, it's just fire right? Right??

Wrong. I told Lily to run to the Staff Room to warn people. I went down to the corridor and the whole floor was on fire. Right in the center of it all was James and Black. they were extinguishing it with water shooting out of their wands. The little fountains sprouting out looked feeble next to the raging fire. I was better at this spell than they were, so I quickly shouted "AGUAMENTI!"

The water was stronger than theirs, but only hosed down one fourth of the fire. I wasn't feeling well at all and the smoke reached to me, the fumes got me feeling hot and everything was turning into a blur. the next thing I knew, everything went black and someone caught me.

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"Right back from St.Mungos and already back here!" came a murmur from above me.

I didn't open my eyes. All I knew was, the bed was soft, and I was comfy and in the Hospital Wing, and it was Miss Poppy who just spoke.

"Who did it?" Miss Poppy said sharply, but I kept my eyes closed, wanting to hear the conversation.

"I suspect that it is Mr. Potter and Mr. Black. They were in the corridor exactly at the right time," Dumbledore said severely.

"Well, what about the girl?"

"She is not capable of doing this. I'm afraid the troublemakers at school have gone too far. It might mean-"

"You're not meaning to expel them Headmaster?" Miss Poppy said incredulously.

"I mean not to, but the governors might oppose me. But maybe I can state that Sirius has saved Ms. Hernandez's life, if it could help."

I was deeply troubled for my fault. I didn't want James and even, Black to get expelled for my fault, but I didn't want to get expelled either! I lay in bed, not opening my eyes, and thinking long and hard, until I drifted off to sleep.

I woke when it was morning and the first thing that I saw was Miss Poppy's face, looking at me with concern.

"Where's James and Black?" I said sitting up.

"In the Headmaster's office, but I do suggest that-"

But what she suggested, I never heard, for I ran up quickly to Dumbledore's office. That sleep really cleared out my mind. I got there and I shouted a random candy and the gargoyle thing stepped aside. Wow, sweets! It's a password! I ran up the stairs and heard voices on the other side of the door.

"Do not lie anymore boys, this is a serious matter-"

"We didn't do nothing!" screamed Black. "We were just walking down and saw the fire-!"

"Governors, we are telling the truth," came James voice.

"I believe they are," came Dumbledore's voice.

"You don't honestly believe their rubbish?"

"They will not lie about something as serious as this, Mr. crather."

"Then who did it?"

"They will be expelled if we do not find the culprit," said another outraged voice.

This will be my cue to be the heroine of the two boys in distress. I entered with a heavy heart, thinking that it might be over for me.

"Dear me, Ms. Hernandez! What do we owe this early pleasure?" Dumbledore said from behind his desk.

"I did it." I said hollowly.

"What?" said a small, stout man.

"It was an accident."

"How?" said the man kindly, which surprised me.

"Sparks just appeared out of my wand when it hit the wall and scraped."

"Well then, you boys can get out now," he said. "And my apologies."

James and Black filed out of the room with distress in their faces. I knew that they would be listening to the door.

"We will overlook this," said the man.

I looked at him with bewilderment. "Really?"

"Your father has done many a great thing for this school, and has gotten me out of a horrible scrape once."

"Think yourself lucky Ms. Hernandez, but don't take this lightly. Now go, before they change their minds," Dumbledore said, trying to be serious, but had a tone of amusement in his voice which gave him away.

I walked out, and just as I predicted, James and Black were listening out the door.

"You are one lucky chick," James stated.

"What's your dad done to get you out of that?" Black said, half-annoyed, half-impressed.

"I have no idea," I said earnestly.

"Your dad is awesome," Black said.

"I know," and the three of us walked off down the stairs and went to the Gryffindor common room, where the gossip that I got out of this mess was soon spread far and wide, that by dinner, everyone knew what hapened, but the stories were exaggerated and quite comical.

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A/N-All i'm saying is reviews please and I'm done. xoxo's 


	6. Brace Yourself For This

A/N- Hello, hello! I feel much better now than before! Hope you enjoy this next chapter...reviews...you know..

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"That was genius!" Nate said, looking at me with admiration.

"What was?" I asked, bewildered.

"The fire thing! You didn't even get expelled!"

I prided myself with getting out of sticky situations and not paying for what I've done. I dwell on it, for all my life..but hello? Consceince is enough punishment to drive a person crazy. Ask Voldemort. Oh wait, he doesn't have a conscience. I mean, ask James, or Remsy, or Black. Yeap...that's all I need to say of the matter.

I smiled at Nate like what I did, I did on purpose. Great! Now..I don't have to think of anything else anymore! My prank is done, but with brutal consequences.

All of us: meaning, Marauders, Lily, me, Hannah, Annie, brother and brothers Gryffindor friends, were in the common room, that night after dinner. Oh...how boring life is when we have no parties and midnight wanderings..hmmm..shall we? or shall we not?

James and Black were having a deep conversation, with their brows furrowed seriously, and half hidden in one corner...what were they up to? I tried edging over there as discreetly as I could, but damn! they were quite aware of their surroundings and smiled at me innocently, but their eyes gave them away, full of mischief and slight guilt in it.

I stared at them staring at me...let's do something fun!

"Truth or Dare!" I squealed out of nowhere. How idiotic...sometimes, I just can't stop speaking my mind, and I don't even know if I'm thinking in my head or actually speaking.

"Brilliant!" Black said eagerly. "Sure beats the hell out of sitting here and doing nothing."

The whole 15 years old and older party looked from me to Black, and smiles etched on each of the guys' faces. Woah now..again, stupid idiocy..I forgot that there were four girls only..hope that the other three were eager though.

"Anyone else want to join?" I asked the rest of the room. "Girls preferably," I added quickly as I saw dudes rising from their seats. "Oh, and umm...can we keep this to 15 and older please...we don't want anyone fainting or stuff like that," I put in as an afterthought when innocent first years thought that this was normal truth and dare where we stick spaghetti up each other's noses or some other piece of lame crappy thought that we could only think of when we were nine.

"Okay, dear first years to fourth years, please evacuate the area as promptly as you could and anyone who is under 15 after I count to ten who's still here, will be soberly hexed," James shouted to the room.

Man..how dirty would this truth or dare be anyway? sheesh...

"Bottle please?" I asked, holding my hand out for any bottle, while James was counting to ten and the young ones were scrambling up the stairs to their own dormitories, not wanting to 'get in trouble' or whatever the hell that meant. Oh yes..I really don't know the meaning of getting in trouble.

Christina Chadensey handed me a Firwhiskey bottle, the only girl who had the guts to join this very exclusive truth or dare. She was sixth year, very bad hair, that was shoulder length, kind of plump and stout, had dark brown eyes, her skin was color pink (I am not kidding), but she had a really pretty nose, not like my ugly upturned one...it's what I hate, but ironically, what other people like about my face.

She was a good pair for Pettigrew...let me set them up if I could...no way was I letting him with Annie, no matter how much she refused him, he always kept coming back for more...umm..kinda like, James?

"Small circle guys...and my fair ladies," I said imperiously.

Okay...five seventh year boys, including my brother and secret boyfriend. 4 fifth year boys who included one who had the hots for one of my mates, and my pretend boyfriend, included a werewolf who fancied Hannah and a stalker who liked Annie. 4 fifth year girls who were all outnumbered by dudes, and had conquered hearts of some of the boys we were up against. And one sixth year who no one had the hots for, I'm terrily sorry to say.

Fair fight? I think not.

"I'm not joining," Lily said from her corner.

"Why not Evans? Afraid that you might show your undying love for me?" James said cheekily.

"Because this is stupid and I'm sure it'll be some dirty little game in the end, with most of you boys," she replied evenly.

I looked around and saw the watchers of the game give a groan. I have to admit, this would be more interesting if Lily would join.

"Aww...c'mon Lily," I pouted, sticking out my bottom lip for emphasis.

"Give me a reason to join."

She did have a point. Why should we girls sit around and be abused while the guys had the time of their life doing it? Really...what was the reason why we were joining?

I turned my head to Black and James and asked, "Yes, I agree, what do we get out of it, or I'm afraid I won't play either."

It was good to have such influence in these kind of people. We all know that I actually get things going in funerer ways. This is how I make up for having not so long legs, no pretty colored eyes, no super hot body, or not having little waist.

The boys discussed among themselves in a small huddle and talked in whispers. When was this game going to start???

"You're free to date anyone you like," Nate said pointing to me, and frowning at Teddy because he looked like the only one who didn't agree.

"And we'll stop playing pranks on your lot," James spoke for the Marauders, looking at Lily.

I want to clear everything up..the Marauders used to play pranks on my mates and me, but since third year, they stopped on Lily and since fourth year, they stopped on me. Leaving Annie and Hannah alone to be hexed and jinxed and whatever cruel thing they could think of humiliating them. Now, that wasn't fair...and Lily knew it well.

On my case however, I was forced to date Teddy remember? And wasn't allowed to break-up with him, and the added bonus of stopping pranks added to the games favor, and so, I nodded in agreement, sitting down.

The whole room cheered, especially the dudes..cheer all you want..assholes.

Seconds later, Lily sat down next to me, gravely and reluctantly agreeing, for the sake of our two other friends. The people watching were looking around eagerly now, and I felt---bad...for once in my life. Ohhhh I would regret proposing to do this game...

"Shall we start then?" my brother asked, pulling a brunette from the crowd and seating her beside him, silently adding that she join, and how lucky she thought she was!

I placed the bottle in the middle and I felt all eyes on me. I turned it as hard as I could and scrambled back into my place, dread filling my heart.

Oh shit. It just landed on me. Has fate gone against me? And Merlin help me...black grinned like he won the best prize ever.

"Truth or Dare?" everyone shouted.

I had too many secrets to hide, and would rather not have rumors floating around, jepeordizing my friends and me..so fine, dare, no matter how hard it would be for me.

"Dare."

My brother knew full well about me and Black. This game was a game, and he put down his over protective mode for awhile and shouted, "Give Black a lapdance, dear sister, and we've got the perfect outfit for it too."

I stared at him, with outrage in my mind. Brothers are so hard to trust when it came to games like this...and in the corner of my eye, I saw one of Nate's friends go up to retrieve 'the oufit.'

Minutes later, the friend got down, holding a very burlesque looking outfit, looking delighted that he would see a girl in it. Fucking hell! I will not wear that! And you will forget about the lapdance! I am no fucking whore!

Annie and Hannah looked at me with sorrow in their eyes. Oh man, I'm doing this for them. EVen if their eyes understood if I didn't want to do it. but i did want them to stop suffering, and fine, I'll do it.

I snatched the kinky looking lingerie...but it looked nice though...the color I mean, since it was dark blue and the underwear was black and it had pretty black stockings..sorry...moving on. I scowled at the men and smiled at my mates, then went up to change. And I did it hurriedly too.

I went down, feeling ashamed of myself, as the guys hooted and whistled. The dark blue corset was suffocating me, and made my boobs twice their original size, good thing my boobs weren't that huge..and I felt very insecure about my arse...

Teddy waved black six inch pumps in my face, and I put them immediately saying, "Where the hell did you get these?? Do you put them on and play dress up in your dormitories?"

"No, we keep them for occassions like these," one of Nate's friends said, while Nate averted his gaze and stared out the window. This was his fault anyway, so he must bear the consequences of seeing his little sister being tortured by his own meanness.

"How long?" I said curtly, like it was business, and cracking my hands with definite finality, which contradted witht the red bow on my hips and the corset, and I was very aware of the guys looking at my arse.

"One minute," Lily interjected.

How I love her...a minute will be over before they know it.

"That's not enough..." James said, but faltered under Lily's piercing gaze. "One minute...gotcha."

Well, here it goes. "Time me Lily," I said, and I walked over to Black's stupid grinning face. I rolled my eyes and gripped his hair and pulled it back as far as it would go. He is not getting any view than what the rest of the room sees.

I don't exactly know how to do that kind of dance. Do you expect me to? Being raised and pampered by rich pureblood parents? Okay, I danced as sexilly and as unsexilly as I could, and it was hard, pulling Sirius' head back, dancing in 6-inch shoes and standing in front of him, all at the same time. When was this going to be over? I should make this good, or I might be asked to repeat it.

I loosened my grip on Sirius hair, and lowered my head near him, until it was only a few inches away, and all I could dance was shaking my arse. Urgh. I could see the longing in Sirius' eyes and it felt good to have this kind of power over him. I forwarded my head a bit more, and teased him, nearing my lips to his, barely touching and would suddenly throw back my head, laughing.

"Time's up!" Lily shouted, laughing.

Told you it would soon be over before I knew it. I quickly muttered in Black's ear, "Hope you enjoyed that, cause you're not getting it again." And the asshole grinned at me and replied, "Oh, I did enjoy it, and trust me, it won't be the last time."

SLAP!

A red mark appeared on the side of his face, marking my hand. He looked up while the crowd was hooting and cheering wildly. I have no stregnth to go up and change now. I am not giving this outfit back to harm future victims either. I will burn it tomorrow when I get the chance. I took my faux snakeskin jacket and wrapped it around me tightly, concealing everything from my neck to around the middle of my thighs.

My turn again to spin the bottle? Okay, I went to the middle and of it spinned again, and it landed on James.

"Truth or Dare?" everyone shouted once again.

"Truth," he said, not even pausing to think.

So he doesn't have many secrets to hide then? Or so he thinks...

"Are you still a virgin darling?" I asked. "Truthfully answer, and I know when someone says the truth."

James looked very uncomfortable and muttered, "Yes." as softly as he could.

"Ah, the great James Potter..." I said as the people looked at him like it was unthinkable to think that he hadn't done it before. "Behold! in all his glory!" I said, stretching my arms and pointing to him.

"Yeah, yeah, gloat all you want," he said, chucking a pillow at me and I caught it and threw it at his face, hard.

He looked extremely surprised at this and said, "Why didn't you try out for Quidditch?"

"Dunno."

"Why don't you try out this year?"

"If you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of the schoolyear..."

"I can hold tryouts anytime and chuck out any person who's worse than you, from the team."

"Let's get on with the game please.." Black suggested, feeling out of place I suppose.

The crowd was watching seated now, very intent to see the turn of events. James spun the bottle and it landed on Nate, who jumped to his feet as it landed on him. Oh, sweet time for revenge...AVENGE ME JAMES!

"Dare then," Nate said.

I knew that he had many secrets to hide too, and this made it all the more interesting.

"Strip down to only your boxers for the rest of the game," James said casually.

My brother looked at him imploringly, and said, "Are you homosexual?"

"So that we could give the girls a thrill," James explained matter-of-factly. "And it's fair because your sister had a similar dare that embarrassed her, because of you."

"She embarrassed you too!"

"yes, but what she asked, the answer could change," and James glanced at Lily that I didn't even get a good look at the expression, before he looked away again.

Very clever answer Mr. Potter, and thank you for avenging me without knowing. Oh...then he looked at me and smiled, and he did avenge me! That was sweet, or maybe he's just trying to get on my good side to convince Lily to date him, since I am her best friend.

To my horror, Nate started stripping down, leaving me the embarrassed sister. All the girls, except Lily, swooned, at the sight of his Quidditch toned arms and chest, but all I could see was my brother half-naked, and looking conceited at girl's reactions. Shit. I hate having other people tell me that my brother was hot. It felt extremely uncomfortable.

He propped himself back down on the floor and grinned at the brunette beside him, who was eyeing him with hungry eyes. He'll get lucky tonight, I presume. Then, he spun the bottle and it landed on Hannah. Why does the bottle keep landing on fifth years? it has not hit any seventh years other than my brother.

"Truth."

"That's boring deary," I chimed in.

"Yeah, but I'm not the one wearing that kinky outfit right now," she replied evenly, pointing to the frills that escaped my jacket.

"Fair fight."

"Alright, umm..." Nate started. He was good at dares, but not good at questions. "Will you marry me if I asked you to?" was my brother's conceited question.

"Yeah," Hannah replied casually, flicking a piece of stray red hair from her face, looking absolutely red as her hair.

Nate blushed. Haha. I never saw him blush before. HAHA. HAHA. Second time you got embarrassed tonight git! Spin the bottle Hannah...lands on Sirius Black. Again...wHY IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US except Annie, GETTING HIT BY THE STUPID BOTTLE???

"Dare."

"Snog James."

The whole room held their breath as Hannah said this.It was so bloody funny! I watched as people gazed at James to Black, James to Black and James to Black. Easy there people. You might get a heart attack.

"Excuse me?" it didn't come from Sirius, but from James. Apparantely, Black was just in a state of shock. We'll have him back in a few moments my dearies.

"Snog you," Hannah said.

"I will not ever ever snog my best friend! Are you kidding me? Nope! NEVER! Get that plasted to your heads!" Sirius yelled for the whole room to hear.

"Hmm...then you give up and leave Alex to date anyone and us free?" Hannah tested his patience. "And it includes all ties of pretend relationships for Alex."

Wow. You didn't have to bring that up Hannah. Are you extremely angry at Black? Wow. I never saw you this angry since that November when we were in our first year. Hear that? Our FIRST YEAR!

"Give me a reason to snog him!" Sirius said, waving his hands over his head.

"I'll give a reason for both of you," Hannah started. "Alex'll be your girlfriend and Lily'll date James."

Ahh...a good reason...wait...what the hell??!! You think that I'll just agree to that for your sake after I just did a lapdance for Black? What kind of friend are you?

"I'm not agreeing to any of this," I cut in.

"Neither am I..." Lily said angrily.

"Then, we're not either," Black and James said together.

"Just do it!" someone from the audience screamed.

"You do it to your own mate then!" Black shouted back angrily. "I'm not doing this without a valid reason."

Feeling quite remorseful if they didn't continue the dare, I gathered up all the strength I could and said, "A kiss, take it or leave it. From me and Lily. Will you agree with that my dear?" I added, looking at Lily, who nodded gravely.

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In the eyes of an eager Sirius...

A kiss huh? That wasn't as good, since I got one from her already. But I didn't get one from her that she didn't slap me, and this would be good for Prongs. He's been desperate about Evans lately, that he's neglecting sneaking out at night for a bit of mischief. I knew they would keep their word, since they aren't the kind of people to back out on something as good as snogging us!

"Alright then," I said, cracking my knuckles, and looking at James, who looked back with a face of disgust. "You don't want Lily's kiss?"

"Fine."

Neither of us moved from where we were. I looked at him with this best mate telepathy or something and he grinned widely. On three then..or when he says go.

"Go!"

We darted to the two girls that we liked the best, and pinned them down to the floor. Alex looked up at me with her arms forced to the floor by my hands. She didn't look at me like she was attempting to stop me, she looked at me like she was actually DARING for me to kiss her. I looked at Prongs, who was having a worse fight than mine, with Lily flailing and writhing everywhere, while James sat on her legs, trying to calm her down by using means of muscle, which, I'm embarrassed to say, James has a lot of.

I looked back down on Alex's calm, lifeless form. She looked away, attempting to have an air of being bored, but the pain in her face, showing that I was a bit heavy, could not be hidden, since I was sitting on her legs too. I didn't know what to do. That must astound you, but I truly, didn't know what to do. I stepped off her and extended my hand for her to reach, which she took with a smile on her face.

"Knew you had a conscience somewhere in that brain of yours," Alex whispered in my ear as she straightened out her jacket, which went up her and showed that showgirl underwear she was wearing. I liked it.

"I had enough from your dance awhile ago," I replied.

She stared at me for a second and shouted, "Alright everyone! Break it up, it seems Mr. Black has given up and me and my mates won and we will never be bothered again, and I'm free to date again! Yes! Alright? Alrighty then, goodnight!"

Everyone groaned and the guys gave one last peek at her in that seductive thing she was wearing as she took off her jacket, climbing up the stairs.

I cast the Levicorpus on each one of those bastards who were looking.

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A/N- Okay, there are a lot of swears here, and I expect that there'll be more from now on, ad I'm sorry if you're angry about it. Reviews please! xoxo's... 


	7. Awesome View By the Lake

A/N- these next chapters may turn out long, alrighty? so please bear with me...reviews please! 

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Those O.W.L.s were exhausting. The easiest exam so far was Defense Against the Dark Arts. My mates and I were by the lake, right after that exam, and and the girls and I were cooling our feet in the water. Not far away, the Marauders were under the beech tree. James was playing with a Snitch. Black was doing nothing at all, but looked rather bored if you asked me. Why? No girlies today? Remsy was reading and Pettigrew was watching James with awe and cheering him on, he looked like he was peeing in his pants, if you asked me again.

I kept looking on, and got eye contact with Black. I quickly looked away. I also noticed that James kept looking at Lily, seeing if she noticed his incredibly good seeker skills, but Lily paid him no mind and continued chatting with Annie about the exam.

Oh, I forgot to tell that I made the team...I dunno how and I definitely don't know why. I throw a pillow at his face and the next day, James Potter tells you that you're on the team...with Black. He just put in Black because he knew that Black liked me. James hasn't even seen me fly, so I don't know what to say, but 'thank you.'

Anyway...oh oh oh...things are getting interesting on their side. I watched as James and Black stood up and walked over to a bush...a bush with Snape in it's shadow. Oh, this won't end well at all. Oh goody!

"All right Snivellus?" James said.

Snape reacted with standing up and dove his hand in his robes, but James was too fast since James shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Oh...there goes the wand...

"Impedimenta," James said, and Snape got knocked off his feet.

Oops...my view is getting blocked with all the students crowding around...move along please...nope, no use, I better stand up to get a better view.

James and Sirius were walking closer to Snape, and to my surprise, James looked over his shoulder and looked at our direction, at Lily's direction. Oh...he really does have the hots for her..looking all the time.

"How'd the exam go Snivellus?" James asked.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment. there'll be grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word." Black said menacingly.

Ouch. That was an awful retort, but bravo. And so, I laughed along with the people to be nice. So sorry Snape. I watched as Snape tried getting up, but failed miserably, as the spell was still on him.

"You-wait," he said, while looking up at James threateningly.

"Wait for what?" said Sirius coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

What horrors came from Snape's mouth. Swearwords and hexes, and all so dark, it was a colorful mind in Snape's head, mind you.

"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"

Oh, dear Merlin. It looked like he was choking, and from behind me, Lily stomped off to protect her friend.

"Leave him ALONE!" she screamed.

James and Sirius looked around, and James messed up his hair again. Oh, that was stupid...

"All right Evans?" James said, trying to look cool, and his voice was deeper than normal.

"Leave him alone. What's he done to you?"

"Well, it's more of the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean..."

Okay, I really meant the laugh that time. I could never have thought of that. Oops, sorry Lily. Why was Remsy so engrossed with his book?

"You think you're funny," Lily said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone!"

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," was James' hopeful retort. "Go on...go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," Lily said defiantly.

"Bad luck Prongs," Black said. "OY!"

Snape pointed his wand at James and flash of light, a gash appeared on the side of his face. Ow. Hope that doesn't scar. Blood apeared on James' robes too. James turned around and another flash of light and Snape was hanging upside down, and oh my, his robes were falling over his head to reveal skinny, white legs and a pair of graying underpants.

Now that's just sad. Don't tell me that he doesn't even have time to CLEAN his underwear.

I looked at Lily and saw her mouth twitch. Aw..c'mon, this was funny! Laugh Lily! Laugh! Amuse James for once in your life!

"Let him down!" she finally managed to say.

"Certainly," and James flicked his wand up and Snape fell on the ground. Snape kept fighting and get up, but Black said, "Locomotormortis!", and Snape turned rigid as a board.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted, taking her wand out. Not a good sign now. James and Black knew well and eyed it warily.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said James earnestly.

"Take the curse off him then!"

Countercurses and:

"There you go," James said and Snape got to his feet, "you're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus--"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Wait---I thought that...he was her friend. Oh, now it's on, it's war with him too, I'm joining the Marauders in this...but:

"Fine. I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus." Lily said coolly.

James looked angry and roared, "Apologize to Evans!"

"I don't want you to make him aplogize. You're as bad as he is..."

"What?" James yelped. "I'd NEVER call you a---you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it's cool to look like you just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can--I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."

She turned on her heel and stalked off, leaving me by the water's edge, all alone, in my bare feet. Wow. Lily should never bottle up her anger like that. Good thing she let it out.

"Evans! hey, EVANS!"

She didn't look back. She had her pride.

"What is it with her?" trying to look like he didn't care, James said.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," said Black.

"Right," James said, suddenly looking furious. "right--"

Flash of light for the third time and Snape was hanging upside-down again.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?" James asked the crowd, who nodded in enthusiasm.

Eww. That is so gross. No, James. I do not want to see--that, thank you very much. I turned around and watched the lake as the crowd hooted behind me, feeling disgusted. I wonder how Lily was feeling now. Better not disturb her yet. Let her cool off awhile..

No other option. Annie and Hannah were too boring to hang out with when it's just the three of us...I have to hang out with the Marauders 'til it was time for Transfiguration.

I waited for the cheers to die down, when James and Sirius threw Snape into the lake, and my skirt got wet from the splash, which angered me a lot. Oh wait, I said Sirius awhile ago, I mean...Black. Yes, Black.

I waited for a few minutes, watching Snape getting out of the lake and admitting defeat, went back into the castle, cursing and swearing under his breath. Good, you shouldn't bottle up your anger like that, look what happened to Lily. And thank you for saying that 'M' word. Now, she won't be seen with you, and you're not our problem anymore, and I'm going to kick your ass the next time you come near her again.

Sorry...rambling again.

I tiptoed to where the Marauders were and went behind the beech tree. I peeked as unnoticeably as I could and was getting ready to shout a loud 'BOO!', when:

"Get out from behind there," was what I heard from the other side of the tree. It was Black's voice.

I slowly showed my face and smiled innocently. Damn. I hate getting caught. This is how good the Marauders are. How did they get this kind of senses? Was Black some kind of part-dog or something?

"Mind if I join you guys?" I asked.

"Knock yourself out," Black said boredly, looking over at a group of sixth year girls.

I sat on the grass, in between James and Black. I was going to watch what interested Black so much about the girls, when:

"Why does she hate me?" came from James.

I turned my head to him and said, "Weren't you listening earlier? to that fine piece of speech that she had just given you?"

He looked back at me with a trying to be blank face, but he looked like he was in terrible pain. And Black suddenly laughed his bark-like laugh.

"Prongs mate, you look a bit constipated!" he said.

James changed his facial expression as quick as it came, and laughed with 'Padfoot'.

"Good, that you said that Padfoot!" James laughed. "It's-er-a funny thing to make me feel all 'perky' again, but, thank you."

"No problem, just doing the best friends job seriously." Black shrugged, turning back to look at the girls.

Oh, I am so going to get him back for doing what he does to girls. Falls for him, takes the thing he wants most from them, once he gets it, crush their spirits and dump them forever. It's the same story. But I don't want to gag because of how he looks! Of course not! he's gorgeous! but I want to gag everytime he flirts and urgh. I'm the only one who ever notices that he hasn't been in a relationship at all. Just those little one-night flings and stuff...yeah. One day Black, one day...

"Why do you hate him?" came James voice into my wandering mind.

"Hate who?"

"Sirius Black."

"You hate me?" Black said, looking at me, with a mock pained expression.

"Really? I do?" I asked James, confused.

Okay, I did kind of hate him. Kind of. I didn't like how he messed around with girls, and how he thought that he was 'all that'. Hmm..now I know what Lily feels like with James. Black and I, we were on a...umm...weird kind of relationship. I was nice to everyone I guess, including him. I get along with him sometimes, and he doesn't really ask me out a lot like James does to Lily. But when I don't get along with him is one of those random times when I think that he is a total asshole. I have mood swings when it somes to him. Yeah.

"Yeah you do!" James laughed.

"How so?"

"Well-I can't really describe it-"

"Try." I kept persuading.

"You're just-the only girl who's able to resist him-"

"So? Lily does too," I pointed out the obvious.

"Yeah, but when he sets his mind on someone, they like him back immediately."

"Where are we going with this?"

"I dunno. Maybe I'm just bored."

"Good," I said, satisified. "And do you feel good now?" I added to Black.

"Yeah," he smiled. "I'm great. I'll get you one day."

I'm definitely counting on it, dear Mr. Black. I glared at him with pure sweetness and anger. He liked girls who he couldn't get, and will stop at nothing to get what he wanted. But then again, I was the only girl he couldn't get, so hey, James was kind of right about some things.

And I suddenly noticed that Black's attention was now averted in my direction.

"Do you want something?" I asked crossly.

"I'm bored, and I'm getting unbored in watching you," was his supposed witty answer.

I stood up to make sure that I could give him a big, hard and painful kick, but when I stood straight to do so, I felt James push my back towards Black's direction. And Black was lying on the grass, with his elbows leaned on the ground.

I was frantic and before I could do anything else, I accepted what was to happen and fell on top of Black, with much despair. My head hit hard on his chest, and his elbows gave way and was lying flat on his back now. I could feel what happens when guys 'get happy', and moved upward to not feel it anymore. Meaning that my face was literally an inch away from Black's. I would so rather have had the 'happy' feeling of Black's than have him smirking up at me.

"See? You're already falling for me," he smirked even more. Now that made me want to gag.

"You're the one with your arms around me, Black."

He did! The minute that I moved up, he snaked his arms around me and pulled me closer, while I was caught off guard with 'happy' in his pants. And I just noticed this now? How stupid can you get. I put my hands on either side of his face and started standing up. He didn't let go. So, I just fell into him again.

"Let me go," I said in his face.

---------------------------------

Sirius Black...

Her breath on my lips. Ahh, it was heaven.

"Let me go," she said again.

"I'm comfortable just now thank you," I replied cheekily.

"I'm not."

"So?"

"I'm getting in a bad mood."

I looked at her face with a big smile on my face. Her hair was curtained over our heads, since she was looking down. Well, she had no choice so...yeah. The light that was coming into the shadow, made me want to kiss her, as it framed her pretty black eyes.

She leaned against my chest and groaned. A muffled sound came out of it saying, "Let me go."

Fine. That's the way she wanted it huh? I'll bugger of for a while, sure. Then she'll fall head over heels in love with me when she missed my attention and will run to me with a smile on her face and cover me up with her kisses.

I let go of her and she stood up. Then she kicked me hard by my ribs. That really hurt, mind you. I'm just not describing it for reasons that I don't want to explain.

"What was that for?" I moaned, rubbing my side.

"That was what I initially stood up for," she grinned with satisfaction on her face.

"Are you happy now?"

"Very." and she sat back down and put her head on Moony's shoulder while he was reading, and started reading with him. Now, I'm not the sort to get jealous, but...cooling of steam. I went back to my old position and felt bored all over again, so I took to look back at the sixth years that had one girl that I was interested in at the moment.

Do you mind if I describe her? I don't care even if you do mind...so...she's not the typical beauty. She looked quiet and meek, just like Moony. She was small and rather frail looking, but when fixed up right...like, let's say...Alex gives her a makeover or whatever girls do to make other girls pretty, and tada! the girl would look a bit pretty to look at for the eyes.

Or maybe it just took one fifth year to make her break out of her shell...I stood up and walked over to her and her friends. Only Wormtail minded me, and sought to watch...

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Back to Alex...

Transfiguration was kind of a weak point of mine right now. I knew all the theories and all that stuff. I just remember it, that's all. What I was afraid of, was the oral magic. I still couldn't get the hang of turning a thing into an animal, but I could turn the animal back into he original object fine. I could do everything else fine, and so...maybe if I studied the theory better, I could do the magic better. Why not try it?

So I sat next to Remsy and leaned on him, and read with him. His shoulder remained relaxed and didn't show any reaction at all. Now that's a real guy. I didn't even want to think how Black would react if I did this to him. Remsy was the best friend guy that I had. It was good to have someone like him around.

Later, we did the Transfiguration exam, and boy was it easy.

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A/N- Did I leave you hanging there? Sorry if I just used Rowling's story in this one. I just put it in Alex's point of view, to make it a bit more interesting what she thought. And...I know you've been wondering when I'd put this in..and yey! I put it in...Reviews please! xoxo's.


	8. Summer Surprises

A/N- I'm kond of running out of ideas really. I have to admit, but I'm trying to make a good plot to entertain you all...so please bear with me if I do not meet your expectations...hope you enjoy this one..I really had my brain thinking on it..Reviews is very much loved. 

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Hot summer days will be the death of me...speaking of death...I have something to tell you. No, it's not juicy gossip...it's just something about Voldemort silly.

Imagine..a hot summer day when you're in the shortest shorts that you've ever owned, and a super red sleeveless shirt, and you skip into the ballroom, licking a popsicle and you find Voldemort in the middle of that same ballroom, surrounded by his devoted sidekicks, the death eaters.

At the sound of my flip-flops thwacking noisily into the room, Voldemort turned around and looked at me with his red eyes, and I dropped the popsicle on the floor and tilted my head to the side to try and feign interest, when in truth, I was scared that I had barged in to an important meeting.

Wait a minute, what the hell was he doing here anyway? My family weren't devoted sidekicks!

I turned to leave when the snake-like voice called over:

"Come and join this, Miss Hernandez. I think that it will interest you."

Remember when I said that I never wanted to see those red eyes again? Yeah, never going to happen, I guess. This is the first time I've seen him since I was six, actually.

I skipped until I reached a point where I dared to come close enough, and if I needed it, could run out without further delay.

"Are you reluctant to come closer? I sense fear," came the voice issuing from that person that makes me want to hit something, anything.

"No, I don't think I want to intrude, is all. And I am not afraid."

"Aren't you wondering why I am here? Of all places?"

"Actually, I am sir," I said sarcastically. The sir, I mean.

"Such pretty manners means fine good breeding," he replied, mistaking my sarcasm for respect.

"I don't mean to be rude, but can you tell me why you're here?"

"Trying to convince your father to join me of course."

It took me one full minute to register what he had said, and to my utter idiocy, I started laughing.

"Why are you doing that?" he asked, glaring at me with those scarlet eyes.

"My daddy'll never join. Haven't you learned from all these years yet?" I said, rather boldly than intended.

"You always had a way with words," he hissed, taking out his wand.

"Where is daddy?"

"We were hoping to surprise him."

"How did you get in here?" I panicked. "You can't apparate in here. And we have magical protection, so..."

"I think that you should be quiet now," he commanded.

I cannot bear to be bossed around, and I certainly never could shut my big, full trap.

"Excuse me," I said as demurely as possible, backing away slowly, to get to the door.

Oh, I forgot to tell you the shocked reactions of the death eaters on how I spoke to their master. They kept saying 'you dare?', and apparantely, yes, I dare!

"You will not leave, until your father arrives!"

I stood my ground and stopped. Fudgemuffin! I just have to get into these situations, but he has respect for my family, or so he says, and I know I'm safe.

"What do you expect me to do?" I asked. "Voldy?" I added before I could shut my mouth with my hands.

To my surprise, Voldemort even looked amused. Probably because he hasn't got anyone act like this to him at all, let alone a wandless teenager.

"Your sharp tongue will be your own downfall one day, Hernandez," he chuckled.

Right then, mother entered, fastening earrings and wearing her pretty formal dress robes, and stopped short at the sight. She quickly walked over to me and narrowed her eyes at Voldemort. She wrapped a protective arm on my shoulder and said,

"Whatever you want, my children have nothing to do with it. My husband will not take part in any of your plans, like he always says. Why don't you accept it? Our patiences are growing thin, and you have provoked our hospitality more than once."

Wow mom. I never knew you had so much words in you.

"Your patience?" he hissed menacingly. "What about my patience? Christopher is vital in my plan. Do you not see how much more your family will benefit from his joining me?"

"We are quite comfortable with the way we are living, and I would rather not be involved in your plans."

Now I know where I got my slippery tongue. The death eaters murmured their distaste for such attitude.

"Where is young Nathan? I haven't seen him since he was but eight years," Voldemort said with faint interest.

"What do you care where he is?" I piped in.

"Hush, Alex," mother whispered in my ear.

As if on cue though, Nate came into the ballroom with ice cream in his hand. Why did we even think of going to the ballroom in the first place? It's like, supposed to be the most unused room in the house! Oh yeah...it's the only way to get to the pool...

"Ah...here he is," Voldemort said like he planned it all out. "Please join us Nathan."

Dear brother quickly strolled over to where me and mother were, with an expression of utter fear on his dark green eyes.

"What a handsome family you turned out to be," Voldemort said absentmindedly. "I have utmost respect for this one especially, so do not try my patience."

"Then show us a bit more respect then, since I'm not seeing how it's respectful to be breaking and entering!" I managed to scream out, despite my mother's hushing. Nate quickly covered my mouth with his hand, before I said anything else that would kill us all.

"It's respect that you aren't dead right now Alexandra," he said, stroking his wand with his index finger.

He pointed that wand at me and said, "Crucio!"

The three of us split and I took one step to the right, to avoid the Unforgivable Curse.

"I'm not stupid Voldy," I yelled at him. "I just speak my mind. And if you don't like it, I can't do anything about it."

Okay, I had no idea why I said that...so sue me! It was real pressure you know! But it seems like Voldy did have a better idea why I said it and laughed cruelly.

"How different you are from the little girl that I could hit by the Cruciatus Curse even by accident! You can be as useful to me as your father, Alexandra. You have the boldness of a Gryffindor, I am not denying that, but you have the Slytherin way on getting what you want and slithering out of tight situations. I heard all about the fire," and he cast me a deadly smile that as well have been the Killing Curse.

I glared at him for a second, and the next, I stomped off to the door, quickly followed by Nate and mother.

I don't know how we got out safely. Maybe it was just because Voldemort was surprised, and didnt know how to react, or maybe he just really did have respect, or maybe he fancied mother. All I know is...I am not telling this story to the school, and neither is my brother, I'm sure.

We get enough attention as it is already, and however arrogant I act sometimes, I try to be modest, and what I try in doing, mostly, always succeeds.

"You never know when to shut up do you?" Nate said tensely, slapping my arm.

"OW!" I screamed.

"Enough darlings. Get out of the house awhile. Come back when it's dark. Stay with your friends, mama will be alright, don't worry," she added when Nate and I exchanged looks of fear for our lovely mother.

"Nathan," mother continues, and Nate stood in perfect poise, since mother seldom used 'Nathan', "apparate and take you sister with you to a friend's. Speak of nothing about this business, just say it is urgent to stay for awhile. Relatives will do no good right now, for they will ask questions. Alexandra," now it was my turn to stand in perfect poise, "listen to Nathan, wherever he goes, you go. Do not 'split up' as I know you do when you are not comfortable with the people. It is vital that you two stay together. I don't know how long you'll need to stay there, but you will receive a Patronus from me when it's safe to come back home. Now, as for me, I will alert your father. The Ministry will be useless, and I do not want to be in Voldemort's enemy side. Now go darlings."

While she was speaking, she was ushering us out of the door. I had no choice but to follow Nate. When we reached outside, I gripped Nate's arm quickly and I felt myself swallowed in darkness, for the third time in my life.

A moment later, I was able to breathe again. I looked around and saw an unfamiliar mansion. One of Nathan's rich friend's then.

"Who's house?" I asked him.

"Potter's" was his intelligent answer.

I hit him in the head.

"What did you do that for? Aren't you glad that I didn't go to one of my friends?" he said angrily, rubbing the top of his head.

"Well, he's not exactly me friend is he?" I informed him.

"You hang out with him a lot, when you're not with Evans," he pointed out.

"Doesn't make him my friend!"

Just then, James Potter himself went out and was closely followed by none other than Sirius Black. Oh shit. They just saw us. Too late to turn back now. I glared at Nate with pursed lips and turned around to face the two guys, with a big, fat, fake, cheesy smile on my lips.

"Oy Alex! What're you doing on this side of the country?" James called out, waving over the black gates, standing in the huge garden.

"Wil you let us in?" I implored, shaking the gates as if my life depended on it.

"Certainly," he said, and walked over, unlocking the gate and swung it open. He extended an inviting arm, which I did not accept. I went in and Nate followed. I knew Nate was trying to be nice and everything, but now, the two of us were uncomfortable in undesirable company.

"Now what happened?" James said seriously, sitting on the green grass.

"Oh James, it's absolutely dreadful!" I said dramatically, sitting next to him and clung to his arm, which startled him immensely.

"What is it?"

"It's too dreadful that I can't even say. Nate and I need a place to stay while mother is out solving the problem."

Good thing that James liked mischief and didn't resolve to ask anymore questions, since he just screamed to the house:

"Mom! I have two more guests staying for the summer!"

Two more guests? Meaning...we weren't the only ones staying...Black.

"Nate, you look exhausted, come, I'll show you to your room," James said graciously, but I doubt that it was just because he was trying to play good host.

Now, I was left alone with Black. In a pretty garden full of wonderful aromas and sweet flowers, and you couldn't think of anything else that could have been more romantic...but for me...I couldn't think of anything more akward and 'gagified'.

As I sat staring at Black, he drifted toward me and sat next to me, looking a bit happier than before, which had nothing to do with the fact that he was alone with me.

"Why are you so happy?" I wondered.

"I ran away from home."

"You're kidding right?"

"No, I am not," he said smilingly, which made me smile.

"How're you going to get one without money?"

"A relative gave me a pretty decent amount of gold, but while still at school, Prong's parents insist on having me stay with them."

Maybe he really was miserable with his life there. I patted him on the back to show encouragement, which I never could express with him.

"I got something already though," he said, turning to me. "Before all the gold from my parents were deprived from me."

"What?" I asked curiously.

"Here," he then handed me three velvet boxes.

"Oh, dear Merlin, Black," I said testily. "You bring this everywhere?"

"What's with the Black? And open it. Oh, and I was about to owl it, that's why I had it with me."

I opened th smallest of the three and found a ring. A huge one that was really pretty, and in the center of all the diamonds, had a big black jewel as the main thing. This was pretty hard to find, so I don't know where he got it. I then opened the middle-sized box, and to add to my conscience, there were two pairs of earrings in it. One pair were little black pearl studs. The other pair were chandelier earrings with the black jewels similar to the ring, only smaller, hung in fine pieces of gold chains. I opened the biggest box cautiously and found a unique designed locket, which hung on a ribbon made of unicorn hair.

"That locket was tricky to find," said Black. "Found it in Berlin. And it'll open only to the owner."

"Who are you going to give this to Black?" I asked, knowing the answer, since similarly stunning gifts were given to me too last summer.

"Isn't it obvious? Who other girl do I know that deserves this?" he asked me, looking deep into my eyes.

"I'd think one of your little girlfriends. How many did you have last term? I forgot. You nailed that shy sixth year didn't you? Oh, and humiliated that sixth year chick, umm..Amethyst right? t prove that you could do anyone? And...I forgot..umm..Geraldine Gascon, seventh year, but you only got around to making out with her...who else..there're too many--"

"They are NOT my girlfriends okay?" he interrupted me. "You're the only one I can think of to have a real relationship with." he added sentimentally.

"Then what do you call them?" I said coldly.

"They're just girls," he stammered.

"What am I then?"

"A woman that could tame me," he said, trying to fight down a laugh.

"They have feelings too alright?" I tried proving a point.

"Why won't you just date me?"

"I refuse to accept these gifts, they are like...agreeing to you," I said decidedly, handing over the three velvet boxes.

"I refuse to receive them then," he told me, not taking the boxes from my hand.

"Black, don't be hard," I warned him, still waving the pretty boxes in his face.

"Just take it, I don't have any other girl that I want to give it to, and I bought it solely for you!" he exclaimed.

"Alright, alright, sheesh," I said, putting it back on my lap.

"Will you go out with me?" he asked hopefully.

"I don't think so," I said, staring at my feet like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Why not, Hernandez?"

Oh, he's putting in the Hernandez now. That means, he's growing impatient.

"I wonder where Nate and Potter gone off to!" I said, trying to change the subject, and stood up.

"Go inside and find out for yourself," he told me moodily, crossing his arms.

"I will, thank you," I said, and lightly patted him on the back.

It's so freaky that I was standing just in front of the 'Dark Lord' many minutes ago, and now, scared out of my wits on Black's facial expression. Life is full of unanswerable mysteries. Yeah?

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A/N- I'm trying to make all of my chapters short and entertaining. The long ones are just some of the chapters that'll make sense as one, and it won't make sense if I cut it. Reviews please. I'm feeling slightly happy to-day! xoxo's!


	9. Another Side of a Git

A/N- Hello darlings! I hope you like this...you may be a little angry, or maybe you'll love me for it...either way, I'll love your reviews even more! 

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The next day came to no news at all. I was starting to worry about mother and father. Good thing that James' parents were similar to mine, in love and care. They accepted us quite warmly, as if their own children.

The mansion consisted of five guest rooms. One was being repainted, and another was being rennovated. Must have been something to do with James, I suppose. That meant that there was three that were available. Rather convenient, don't you think? I think so too.

After that afternoon conversation with the runaway boy, I tried avoiding him as much as possible. Instead of hanging around with the boys and playing rash games and such, I took to exploring the mansion and it's many rooms.

It wasn't as big as my house, but it had many doors leading to other rooms, and not just the hallway and many doors on the hallway. So, you can't really say, 'down the hallway, sixth door on the right', when someone asks where the bathroom is. Sad, isn't it? But it's so fun.

I have an especial room that I liked, that I discovered this afternoon. You won't believe it when I tell you.

C'mon...give a guess. Don't cheat and peek down, it's going to be in your conscience.

I'm keeping on stalling for a while...

lalala

lalala

lalala

lalala

lalala

lalala

Are you thinking yet? Or am I just annoying you?

Okay...okay.

I went into this room, where the room had light blue painted on the walls, and had red crayon marks all over those light blue walls. Many, were bad drawings of a lion. Since it was wizard drawings, the lion was roaring and moving around, leaping onto the other walls. It made me laugh. Ready? It was the nursery, where James' room was as a baby. Isn't it funny that I liked this room of all?

It was preserved as it was. The broken toys were still covered on one side of the room, teddy bear stuffing covered half of the floor. And yet, it had a serene look about it, just like what nurseries are supposed to be.

The white crib stood in the middle, with the silver rattle still inside. I smiled as I took the rattle from its place in the crib. I looked around and in a corner, a silver music box stood on top of a pretty, detailed, peach-colored drawer. I placed the little rattle back into the crib and walked over to the drawer. I stared a full minute at the music box, until I opened it slowly. Inside, were glass figurines of a man and woman, dancing on their tippy toes, looking into each others eyes looking so in love. The music was so soothing, a lovely little lullaby which made me sway my head from side to side.

I must really have been taken away by that music box, I didn't know for how long either, since the next thing I knew, I was being shaken awake by Nate, James and Black. Oh, and did I mention that I was on the floor and the teddy bear stuffing was all over my hair?

I shook my hair to get it the cotton all out. The three boys helped me and took the little tiny white pieces out. I was still sitting down and shaking off the stuffing that stuck to my dress. One word: Embarrassing. :

"What were you doing in here?" James asked, fighting down the urge to start laughing.

"Shut up," I answered, standing up as he held out a hand.

"Liked the little baby smell?" Black laughed, sniffing around.

"Shut up," I said again, feeling my blood becoming hotter and my skin becoming cooler. Just a weird way to get mad...lol.

"Ei, we only saw you sleeping on the ground," he barked back. "We only thought of waking you up to..er..I dunno why actually." He grinned.

Oh, how I could just easily un-handsome that face of his...just one punch Alex, that's all it takes...restrain yourself...restrain...deep breaths...I'm great...I'm alright...

"Why'd you wander off to this side of the house anyway?" I asked, curiosity entering my mind.

The two marauders looked at each other, as if trying to communicate what they excuse they could make up that was acceptable and believable, but the look on my brother's face gave them away.

"Black..." I said sweetly, putting my hands together and swaying a bit. "Leave me alone for once in your life," I then said, putting on the most agressive face I could do, and grabbing the front of his robes.

Before I could get an answer from any of them, I quickly ran out the door and ran and ran like my life purely and utterly depended on getting as far away from these boys as possible.

Bad idea. I completely forgot that James knew this house like the back of his hand, no, like the Quidditch skills he has. And, in one sober minute, I got lost in that house like a mouse looking for the cheese, in a maze that was the size of Black's airhead.

Within minutes, they found me gallivanting around, trying to find my room. Black gripped me from behind, and squeezed my waist so hard, it felt like my intestines were about to come out. Not at all glamorous.

I gripped his hands as tightly as I could, and the hands loosened their hold a bit. My ribs did hurt a lot, and I only noticed now? I didn't let go of the hands though. I landed on my feet and turned around, closer to Black than I have ever been before. Our faces were literally an inch apart. If he wasn't so tall, then, we would have made lip contact by now. Good thing I only reached his nose when it came to height.

"You're not getting away that easily," he said, and I could feel his breath hitting my lips and nose. I couldn't struggle, I was in a state of shock!

"Getting away from what?" I asked, slipping my hands around his neck, trying of thinking of a way to push him away. But those eyes just looked at me tantalizingly, that I wanted to fall into them. Get out of his head Alex! Don't give in!!!

"From yesterday," he said, and as he did, the two guys moved away slowly and vanished within seconds. He must've made a wave with his hands behind my back. Oh man...don't leave me alone with Black!! You'll never find me again!!!

"Look," I started, "I just don't want to. I tried giving back the gifts, but you wouldn't take them back. It's in my conscience, and-"

"So why don't you just answer me?"

"Because..." I tried searching my mind. "You know what I think of you?" I decided to let the truth fall from my lips.

"What?"

"I think that you're an arrogant, self-praising, egotistic, haughty, repulsive playboy!" I said, trying to be as dramatic as I could.

"That's all?" he asked, trying to look like he didn't care, but like James on the day by the lake right after the O.W.L. DADA, he failed in seeming like he didn't care.

"No, but it would take a full day to write all of the things I hate about you," I said rather fiercely.

His grip seemed tighter right after I said this, bringing me closer than before. Like we already weren't close in the first place, I didn't even know there would be a closer, but it seems, I am mistaken. I put my hands on his chest, trying to keep my face from nearing his, but it was pretty hard. I hid my face under my hair, as I bent my head down, and smacked my head on his chest. There really was no way from getting away from him.

Just when I thought that he was going to kill me then and there, he loosened his hold and buried his hands in the folds of my dress. I could feel his flesh, through a thin layer of silk which barricaded his hands from feeling mine entirely. I was getting nervous. What was he planning to do with me? He leaned his forehead on mine and it was like he was restraining to dive in for a kiss.

I took my hands off his chest and gripped his arms in slight panic. Why was he acting so sentimental all of a sudden? Did I hurt him that badly?

"Black?" I said, trying not to look up in his eyes. "Black?"

When that didn't work, and he made no sign that he heard me, I had no other choice and said, "Sirius? darling, are you okay?"

Once again, this was one of my wrong ideas, since this seemed to stir him from his thoughts and his eyes flickered to me with much energy, that I couldn't help flicking mine up to look at his pair. I regretted it immediately, as I watched his sad eyes, looking so innocent, as if of a child's. I closed my eyelids, trying to get off that look, but it wouldn't come away.

"Sorry," he said gruffly, and a second later, he rushed off and left me standing alone, dumbfounded and confused.

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Later that dinner, it was anything but a comforatble evening with the Potter's. Black was silent and squashed his food with his fork, making his mashed potatoes look like rather hard looking soup.

I kept my face looking at my pumpkin soup. I sipped as slowly as I could, but my stomach rebelled at the little food I was eating, and I was forced to look up and ask to pass the steak.

To my misfortune, the steak was near Black, and he looked up and I saw the color, rising into his cheeks, but a second later, his face was once again, pale and listless. I took a large amount of steak and still, my tummy was not contented! Why did I have to eat so much??

I took some vegetables that was right in front of me and asked for some dressing. I put heaps of mashed potatoes onto my plate and took gobs and gobs of ice cream. This is how pathetic I am when I'm trying to ignore someone, you see.

Argh...dinner must be over after sometime, and I could not stop shaking as I climbed up the stairs, following Black to our rooms. Our rooms were next to each other, while Nate's was a floor up and very far from mine. Can you see how sad I get?

I looked down at me eet the whole way up to my room. When we reached our own rooms, Black held his doorknob, and turned to look at me and said, "Sorry really, and goodnight," before going into his room, and once again, leaving me confused as ever.

Being raised as my parents had, the only impulse I had was too say goodnight back. Oh darn...this was the hard part about being brought up by well-bred people. I knocked on the door lightly, hoping Black wouldn't hear it. My hopes were brought to death when he opened it and looked surprised.

"Goodnight, darling Black," I said, my voice quivering in anxiety. Oy...I am not as confident as people say I am.

"Darling Black?" he said, cocking an eyebrow and seemed to find what I said, funny.

"I'm still your pretend girlfriend aren't I? I want to disappoint your parents, and quite frankly, I'd rather end up with you than Regulus."

"I thought you 'broke all ties in pretend relationships' during the truth or dare game?" he smirked, crossing his arms.

"Can I go inside?" I asked, feeling comforatble all over again, and without an answer, I strolled in and plopped myself on his bed.

He closed the door silently, and as if he thought of something, he said, "I'll be back in a minute."

He left the room and in a minute he did, come back, in his hands, a silvery sort of cloth. An invisibility cloak. Oh my, what was he about to do now?

"Who's is that?" I asked, eyeing it with vague panic.

"Prongs. Told him we were going to explore and he was too exhausted to join us, so he let me borrow it."

"Why do we need it?"

"Prongs' parents are a bit strict when it comes to night wanderings, and stays awake so late to guard us. That doesn't stop us though, and we've never been caught. Care to join me?"

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "You're not going to try anything, or you'll have more bruises than you've ever had in your life."

I got under the cloak and Black followed. It was a bit uncomfortable being close to him again. I could feel his hot breath on my neck and I couldn't help not looking at him. He wasn't any more appealing in my eyes, but a sense of curiosity on how the Marauders sneaked around at Hogwarts got to me. We walked on through the house. Good thing we were on the second floor too. I almost got knocked off my feet when Black stopped abruptly and peeked at the lights in the dawing room. He looked at me and pressed a finger to his lips and I nodded.

Finally, we got out the house and the cool summer breeze hit my face as I took the cloak off with immense relief.

"Where shall we trot off to Mr. Black?" I asked, holding my arm out in a gentlemanly way. HA! I even act like a better guy than he does.

"Park?" he replied, taking the arm and started pulling me to the left.

We skipped over to the park like little five year old children. Ah...I have to admit, spending time with Black was refreshing if he's not asking you out.

We got to the park within minutes. I broke away from his grip and ran over to the swings, screaming, "Will you push me? Please!!"

I sat on the swings and smiled up at Black with an expression that I was expecting something from him. He chuckled and went behind me, and softly pushed my back, as I sat, gripping the chains on the swing and lifting my feet high.

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Midnight wanderings in the eyes of a Black...

I enjoyed watching her. Her black hair, flowing around her prettily, a big smile plastered on her face and her laugh haunted me. I could feel goosebumps on my neck, which had nothing to do with the cold. Damn Sirius! Don't get too attached to this girl...you don't belong to anyone remember?

Shall we fast forward now? Before I start rambling around about girls...

Alright. I ran after her as she ran away and I caught up to her, and we landed on the grass. We didn't bother getting up at all. We just lay there on the grass, beside each other, staring up at the stars. Aren't I deep? I know...I didn't even think I had it in me.

We forgot that we had to go back to the house, since Alex fell asleep, with her head on my shoulder and an arm wrapped around my neck. She didn't do his voluntarily, and I didn't wake her up anymore. So, we stayed there for awhile. I just watched her slumbering beside me.

My blissful feeling ended when she woke up and found herself in my arms and resulted to hitting me on the head with the Invisibility Cloak and started pulling it over us to get back to the house.

It was around four in the morning and we climbed up the stairs stealthily, and with one last thanks and smile from her, disappeared to her room.

It was an awesome night really. Simply something that could happen when you're with a girl you fancy...wait a minute..shut up Padfoot! shut up! You want her, you'll get her...don't fall in love..geez...

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A/N- hello there darlings! I hope you liked it! Not really eventful in my eyes, but I hope it is in yours! Reviews please!!! I'll love them to death!!! xoxo's.


	10. New Changes

A/N-Hello lovelies! Okay...I do not own anything...and if I did, would I honestly be writing in fanfiction? exactly. I only own the plot and some characters which I really enjoy writing about...lol. Reviews please...enjoy!

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I woke up at around one in the afternoon the next day. Ahh...it was heavenly sleep. As I woke up, there was lunch at my bedside table. Bless those little house-elves. I took the salad with enthusiasm and put lots and lots of dressing. And ummm...I kinda felt full after that. I lay the abandoned feast on my bed and glided over to the mirror.

The full length mirror was a very cheeky thing, and retorted how I needed to look for the day. It was very ancient and it expected me to wear ballgowns and bonnets and all that. I stared at my hair. The mohawk was gone, since, over the past few months, it's grown chin-length and it irritated me a lot. I turned around and craned my neck to see how I looked like from the back.

Stupid mole. I had one right in the center of my neck, a pretty big one too. I stood straight in front of the mirror again and thought if I should regrow my hair. Maybe I should. Time for a new change anyways...Maybe I coud use magic. I am in a wizards house anyway, and they won't be able to detect if it's underage...if only I had my wand...urgh. I'll have to wait to get home then. I don't dare 'borrow' a wand from James' parents.

What else to do in a big house like this? Better ask James.

So...like a little bored girl that I was, I went down to find him and yes, I found him immediately, as he was just in the garden, with Black and Nate, holding something behind his back. What were they up to again??

"Potter," I called out from the door. "What the hell do you do in a house as large and cramped as this?"

He turned around quickly and smirked. "Trying to find out what to do of course!"

"The what have you found out after sixteen years of living here?" I strolled over to where they were.

He quickly threw whatever he was holding into the bushes. "Want to play Quidditch?"

We won the QUidditch cup...yes. And I was pretty sure that James' captain interest wasn't about playing QUidditch..I mean, we were the best QUidditch team, if I say so myself. I was rather surprised that I could play, after riding a broomstick only three times at school, which I rode pretty well. Anyway, I bet James' captain interest was suddenly there because he was trying to hide whatever he was holding in his hand awhile ago.

"Let's go captain!" my brother saluted to him, and he grinned.

"Well?" James asked me testily.

"Yeah," I then decided, not caring what he was holding anyway. "Sure."

"Excellent," he said, clapping his hands together. "I have herder tactics for this year and I'm really eager to practice. Too bad you left Nate, you were really good. I was a bit confused why they made me captain insted of you, really."

"I'm not responsible enough for being captain," Nate said humbly.

"Let's go," I started. "I hope your backyard is big enough for Quidditch practice."

"You haven't seen his backyard have you?" Black quizzed.

I shook my head.

"It's bigger than his house," Nate muttered.

"Fine," I said eagerly. "Brooms?"

"We always have extras," James answered, turning back and walking over to the corner which must have lead to the backyard.

I followed the three boys and I nearly fell back as I saw the space behind the house. It was perfect for practicing Quidditch. It wasn't as big as a normal QUidditch Pitch, but it was a smaller, mini version, good for practicing if your just let's say, four people. Convenient...there was even the three goals on either side.

James was bringing four brooms from the broomshed and had a chest with him too. How rich can this dude get? He evn had the quaffle, the snitch and the bludgers. Damn...his parents do spoil him.

He handed me and my brother Nimbus 1001's. Wow. These were only spares? He had the Nimbus 1500 for himself.

"Sorry if you only have the last kind's model," he said apologetically.

"And these are just spares?" I told him sarcasically.

Actually, I heard that the Nimbus 1700 was being developed. I already told mother about it, and she told me that she got the Nimbus Company to give it to me early when it was fully developed. Like, a year earlier than everyone else. Yes! And anyways, I had the 1500 at home, okay...so me and my brother were as spoiled...

Black was clutching his own 1500. Probably before he was 'deprived from all the family riches.'

"Shall we?" I said, starting to hover around eight feet above the ground. Good thing that I borrowed the jeans and shirt from James' mom instead of the mini-dress that I really liked.

"We shall," Black replied, hovering beside me.

"OY!" James shouted rather agressively.

"What?" Black asked.

"Laps first," he scowled. "New tactics Padfoot!"

"He's getting a bit too QUidditch these days," Black muttered to me, under his breath.

"Then, let's please him," I said, zooming past him to do laps around the little pitch. It felt good to be back on the broom. Now I see why guys are crazy about brooms and Quidditch, why James finds it surprising if you don't understand Quidditch.

You just lose yourself. You don't even know, and you don't even care if anyone's watching you, or cheering you on, since riding the broom is the reward in itself. See? I'm losing myself already.

I snapped out of it when James was calling me down. To my reluctance, I got back down, my cheeks cold and my face flushed with excitement.

"Alright," James started, looking every but as excited as I was. "Nate and Alex, Nate be keeper and beater, Alex be seeker and chaser."

Are you kidding me? Seeker? That's just cheating James. I can never be as good a seeker as you. And you know it well, I guess.

"Sirius, same roles as Nate, and me, same as Alex's," James finished, with a smirk on his face.

Okay...advantages on my side: Nate had been on the Gryffindor team since his second year, played beater and was a fair keeper when he played for fun. I, on the other hand, only had a talent for playing Chaser, I had good aim somehow, probably from all those pillow fights and slapping Black. And I had a strong arm in throwing, probably from the pillow fights and slapping too.

Now...disadvantages: I was very bad in finding things. Even on ground. Let alone, a fast, little golden, flying ball. Second, I only got onto the team in the middle of fifth year, so, it was kind of sad for my side.

Right...advantages on their side: James has been on the team since his second year too. Was a spankin' good seeker, and through experience, learned to play chaser fairly, but not marvelously. Black was a natural, I guess. Could Chase well, although, I have to boast..aha..I'm better.HA! But he could play beater anytime...figures...

Then...disadvantages on their team: like I said, earlier, James' fine point wasn't chasing...Black wasn't a keeper really, he was rather bad at it...good thing too. Hmm...oh yeah, and same diadvantage that Black only started the same time I joined the team, as in, same day, same time...yeah.

Now that I look at it actually, it wasn't really unfair. All I gotta do was score as many goals as possible and wait for James to catch the Snitch. Piece of cake.

"Okay," my brother said, whispering to me. "Tactics, you just score as much goals as you can, you're really good at Chasing, and leave it to James to catch the Snitch. Me, I'll keep blocking James' quaffles, he's not good at Chasing, and I'll keep knocking them in the head as much as I can."

Why didn't I think of that? Oh wait, I DID. Now I see why we're siblings. We think alike too much. Mental telepathy only siblings have...such a convenience...

Fast forwarding...we won. Surprising really, but sure, I'll take it!

As I was sitting on the grass, drinking pumpkin juice and gloating about it, a silver swn appeared out of nowhere that made us all yelp.

"Darlings, thank your friend and the parents. You can come home now," came mother's voice from the swan's beak. "I'm terribly sorry about taking so long. It's been...hard, but you can come home now lovelies."

And with that, the swan vanished and appeared big grins on me and my brother's faces.

Sure, Nate was a guy who could hang around with anyone and get along great, but he just got along better with his friends. And I knew it was a bit hard for him to hang out with these two guys tat he only knows because of me.

Me, on the other hand, is super happy to leave. Black was getting a bit on my nerves at how cocky he could be at times, and I needed someone to hang out with who wasn't a boy. Face it, we say we need them and want them, but we start getting annoyed when we get too much of them.

"Adios," I waved at the two and pulled Nate along.

I thanked James' parents and hurriedly said that we would be leaving. They just said that we could come back anytime and it was a pleasure.

Five minutes after the patronus call, we were back home. See how fast we can be when we miss our mommies and daddies?

"Hello dearies!" mother cried to us, with outstretched arms.

"Mama!" I yelled, running into her arms.

Oh, how I missed her. Hey, being close with your family won't hurt. People say it's uncool, but I don't see why it is. They are just the sweetest of people in the whole entire world! Think I'm crazy? You must be the loony one if you don't think so. I mean, who had to carry you for nine freaking months and spend all that hard work just pushing you out? And...who was the one who had to entertain you all those nights when you were a baby and had to make really stupid faces just to make you smile? Yeah...just, trying to point something out.

Now that I'm home...time to regrow my hair! I almost forgot about that shampoo I made that made your hair grow long in a few minutes. Yeap. I know what you're thinking. What kind of girl forgets about their own inventions and thinks of using a wand instead? And if you're not...you need to get to know girls better then.

"Mom, I better get a shower," I thought of making an excuse. "I smell like a boy."

It's a stupid excuse, since I kept using all that cologne from Mrs. Potter's house, which made me smell anything but a dude, but they don't know that.

I ran up the stairs and kissed my dad, who just appeared right now, on the cheek, before running along to my room, which was two floors up. When I got there, I flinged the white drapes closed and hopped to my bathroom. I turned the tap of the shower for the warm water and rummaged through my cabinets for the shampoo. Aha! I took a pretty glass flask filled with red liquidy stuff. I undressed and stepped into the shower.

Mmmm...I like how warm the water is. And so, I showered my hair with a few pints of the red liquid and started rubbing my head until it soaped up good and foamy. I could feel my roots growing longer and longer already.

After a few minutes, I started washing it off and cleaned off with a fluffy white towel. I wrapped that towel around my hair and turned the tap for the bathtub. Maybe your thinking, didn't she just shower in there, but only forgot to soap? I just want a good stay in the tub until my hands turn into that ugly pruny look.

I put in some bath salts and cucumber bath soaps in, before slipping into the water. I adjusted myself so that the white turban on my head wouldn't be splashed on. I stayed in there for hours...

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Later, I stared at my reflection in the mirror and analyzed my hair. I just got out from the bathroom, and in a fluffy red bathrobe. I took off the towel from my head and shook my new, long hair.

It was uneven. Some layers were longer on the front than in the back. I had to fix that. Overall, it looked good. I looked like my old self again. I took a scissor from my desk and started hacking at the waist length hair that was in my face. Chop, chop, until it reached to my chest. Now for the back. I didn't know how to cut hair, so, just to be safe, layers. I layered my hair with my front and some of my sides of it around my shoulder, and the back part hanging around the middle of my back. Not really the long hair that I wanted, but I thought it looked better than any old waist length hair that would look icky on me.

One last. Blemishes started appearing on my forehead because of all the late nights I've been up. I must conceal those zits. Bangs baby, bangs. I cut the hair near my face into side bangs. Not that one line kind of bangs, but the uneven one that you couldtuck behind your ear when it started getting annoying.

Okay...I know that you're getting bored about my mumblings about my hair, so let's go downstairs.

I went into the drawing room, where the whole family usually stayed during boring, lazy afternoons. As predicted, mother, father and Nate were in it, either lounging and staring out the window, or reading a good healthy book. When I got in the good light, they all looked up at me and uttered little compliments about my hair.

I went to my mother and curled up on her lap, while she stroked my hair absent-mindedly, glancing now and then at Nate.

Then Nate cleared his throat loudly and the three of us looked at him, signalling that he got our attention.

"Er-don't get upset," he stammered. "I'm moving to France."

How is it that everyone in this family is always moving to France? Will I end up moving to France when I grow up too? This is just me hiding how upset I was at finding out that my brother was leaving.

"You can't go!" I whined, standing up and crossing my arms. "What are you even going to do there?"

"Make something of myself Alex," he told me seriously. "You know those curse-breakers from Gringotts? I intend to do something like that. Magical discoveries in France."

I stared at him dumbly. "You already made something of yourself Nate! You're already brilliant being as you are!" And quite suddenly, I ran to him and hugged him tightly, as if he won't leave if I wouldn't let go.

He patted me lightly, like he didn't know what to do with himself. I presume that he expected my parents to act like this and not me.

"It's not like I'm leaving for good," he whispered comfortingly.

"It's like you're saying that," I said in a muffled voice, pressing my cheek to his chest. No way was I letting him leave.

"Well, I'm saying that I'm not," he retorted.

I looked up at him with tears welling up in my eyes. This made his features turn softer.

"Alex, don't cry. You can visit me any old time you want. And you can bring any of your boyfriends with you too, if you want." he said in an attempt to brighten my spirits, which did not brighten at all.

"You'll just be running off with some girl," I protested. "I just know it."

"You don't even want me to settle down with just one girl?" he quizzed, lifting my chin up. "Didn't you always tell me to stop messing around and take my relationships seriously?"

"I meant here in this country!" I pouted, looking up at him with angry eyes.

"Well, your plans don't always need to go your way," he said impatiently, crossing his arms, which resulted in knocking my head with his elbows, since I was still clinging to him.

"Fine," I said, turning my back and stomping out the room. " If you want to go, then go. Just don't expect me to say goodbye happily, or say goodbye at all."

I know I sound like a spoiled little brat, but I was really close with my brother. That might astound you all, but he was the only one I could ever confide in truthfully, and he didn't ever tell any of my secrets. I was angry with him, and I didn't know it now, but I wouldn't see him for years, as I learned later on.

That was the last time I saw my brother, before many years later.

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A/N- I know, I know. Really short chapter, but I hope it explains why I didn't mention any brother in Changes for the Better. Admit it, you were surprised when I told you that Alex had a brother in chapter one. Anyway...reviews please. I'm getting none of them and I'm getting in a pouting mood. )) xoxo's. 


	11. Summer Owls Are Good

A/N-I'm very very disappointed by the no reviews. Please give reviews. This is the eleventh chapter and yet, there are very few. I do not own anything except for Alex and a few other characters. Please please please review and make someone happy today!

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I'm bored. Wish it was a full moon. Hope Moony's coming next week. Aren't there any girls around here? Let's ask James.

"Prongs," I started, as I looked through one of Prongs' Quidditch magazines. "What do you do around here for fun?"

"Trick the local muggles into eating some dungbombs," he replied nonchalantly.

"Aren't there any girls here in the neighborhood?" I thought out loud.

"Plenty, but none of them are like Evans."

"You think Evans is the only girl in the world that's worth liking," I smirked.

"That-" he paused and thought. "Oy, you're right there..." and he continued shuffling through the pages.

"C'mon," I pleaded. "Show me the ladies."

"None of them are as the same par as Alex though," Prongs pointed out. "And we all know that even she's way out of your league."

I put my hand over my heart and said in a mock-injured voice, "That hurt, but since you're my brother, I forgive you."

"If it makes you shut up, I'll go with you and introduce you to my neighbors," he said in an irritated tone.

"Thanks Prongsy," and I hit the back of his neck with my hand.

He hit me back with one of his shoes.

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"Alright," Prongs said as we stood in front of a picket fence. "The girl who lives here has very strict parents. Not as much of a beauty as Evans or Hernandez or any of the girls in their group, but good enough for a little summer fling."

"Please, I don't intend to just have one summer fling," I said proudly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. C'mon."

We walked into the garden and I stood behind him as he knocked on the door. And as it opened, all I could think was woah.

Yeah, she wasn't as much of a looker as Hernandez, but I'd settle for someone who looked normal looking and plain as her. That's how bored I was. Description of said girl: dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, not really thin, but not really horizontally challenged. Yeah. Nothing too eye-catching about her, except for her brilliantly white teeth.

"Hey Camila, this is Sirius Black, my best friend," Prongs told the girl boredly. "Have fun."

And with that, he turned his back and paced quickly back to his house. He simply knew that i could handle this alone, and I think that he didn't want seeing me woo one more girl. The girl Camila looked at me and her pale cheeks turned bright red. I love it when I make girls do that. Boosts my ego.

"Hey," I said coolly. "I was getting bored and trying to find someone fun to hang out with, and you look like the person in that category."

"Really?" she giggled in disbelief.

"Really."

Let the game begin then.

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Alex...

"Mama, have you seen Nathan?"

"Darling didn't you know?"

"Know what?"

"He said that he was moving to France, did he not?"

"He left without saying goodbye?"

"Dear, after you stormed out of the room in such a fury, he seemed to think that you wouldn't mind."

"Of course I would mind! He's my brother!"

"I know how close you are to him. Rather unusually close for siblings, but he had the wrong impression."

"Did he say where he was?"

"Not a word. He wasn't as decisive about his answers as I would have hoped."

I remained silent. Stupid Nate. Thinking that I didn't care whether he left or not. What was wrong with this boy's mind? Does he not remember about the time that we plotted the endless booby traps in Uncle Engrad's house when we had the family reunion? How we won the push-as-much-people-as-you-can-in-the-pool-of-squid-ink game? How can he forget how we put worms in the Marauders room all over their beds, boxers, socks, shoes, shampoo, hangings when I was in my third year? Brothers. So oblivious.

Just then, an owl flew into my room and landed with a loud thump on my desk. It had the Hogwarts seal on the envelope and my stomach fell. The O.W.L.s, I almost forgot about them!

I quickly rushed to the owl and teared the envelope. Astronomy: E, Care of Magical Creatures: O, Charms: O, Defense Against the Dark Arts: O, Herbology: E, History of Magic: A, Potions: E, Transfiguration: O, Ancient Runes: E, Arithmancy: O, Muggle Studies: O.

Thank you Merlin!! 11 O.W.L.s! I bet that I would've done good in Divination but it was ever so boring and dreadful, that I simply had to drop it! Yeah! Bet Lils had O's in everything...

A knock on the door...

"Come in!"

"Darling? There's someone to see you--dear Circe! your owls!!! How many?" my mother came in and rushed to my bed and grabbed the envelope out of my hand.

"Eleven? That is excellent! More than your brother can say." my mother said proudly.

"What were you saying about a visitor?" I inquired.

"Oh yes, dear Sirius Black has come to visit. Not to stay for long in the house I presume."

"Can you tell him to go away? I'm not in the mood to talk to him."

"Aren't you dating him? After the scene in the New Year's party..."

"No mom. I just wanted to annoy his parents." I said flatly. "You can scold me now."

"No. I'm glad you did. I terribly dislike his parents and all about their pureblood rants. I don't want to get on their wrong side though. It would be good to have rich, pureblood friends."

"Mother! I didn't know you were such a hypocrite!"

"You don't know much about me, the past me that is. If you think that James Potter and Sirius Black are the troublemakers in school in your time, I was far worse than they were! I tried breaking every single school rule in my days as a Hogwarts student. Your father was the goody two shoes, prefect, Head Boy, Keeper, kept good grades. It meant that he gave me lots of detentions and I spent most with him, because the teachers were too tired about me."

"Black can wait. Tell me more."

"What more?"

"The school rules that you broke."

"It might give you ideas," mother eyed me with suspicion.

"It won't"

"Fine. I set fire to the tables in the Great Hall, chewed gum in class and threw it behind the teachers head, skinned the caretaker's cat, drank vodka and shots under the tree by the lake, there are plenty that I don't even want to tell anymore. But the most grotesque thing about me that I didn't like about myself before, was my desire for attention from boys. And even if I did want it, I always got it. I had many runs in heartbreaks and relationships before I started to see how sweet you father was. I was actually annoyed with him a lot, and hated him with every fiber of my being for always putting me in punishments. But, fate is funny in ways that I fell in love with him."

"Yeah, funny. Mother, you are the worst example of a student that I have ever heard!"

"I told you that I shouldn't have told you!"

"Anyway, I love that. Makes me feel good about myself when I do trouble which isn't half as bad as what you did."

I walked out of the room and hummed, walking down th stairs and planning to get some ice cream from the kitchen. Big huge giganti mistake. I forgot that Black was there. And when I saw him, I began to run up the stairs as fast as I could, but he saw me.

"Hernandez!"

"What do you want? Why are you here?"

"I want to know your results in the owls," he said innocently.

"Fine."

"Walk with me?"

"If it'll make you leave quicker, fine."

I walked out the front door quickly and he followed. He told me that he had 11 o.w.l.s too. Got E's in Herbology, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy. O's in DADA, Potions,Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration and Charms. Got an A in History of Magic and failed Divination.

If I thought that he would leave quicekr if we walked, I was wrong wrong wrong. It got darker and darker. And soon, I noticed and looked at his watch. Almost 12 midnight. Black was a sneaky son of a bludger.

"You planned this didn't you?" I glared at him.

"I know you loved every waking minute of me," he replied cheekily.

"I'm going back."

I ran to the house and he followed me. I turned the knob. Locked. I forgot that I needed keys to open this since it was an auto-lock everytime it closed. No, magic won't work. Only the keys will. And besides, I didn't bring my wand anyway. And the door was magically protected not to be broken down at all. Good thing that my room was just on the second floor. How to get up? Uh-oh. Only the worst possible thing on Earth.

"You will not get any ideas or feel up whatsoever!" I screamed at him.

"What?" Black said, looking confused.

"I can't get in. It's all your fault. You have to carry me on your shoulders and open my window manually."

"Sure," he said eagerly. Notice that he didn't offer any magic wand. The pervert.

I walked around the house, looking for my window. Maybe you're thinking, why doesn't she use the windows in the first floow landing? There are no ways to open the doors on the first floor. They are just big, windows without any way to open them at all. At last, I found my room.

I ordered Black to bend and I stepped on his shoulders. Slowly, he lifted me up, holding my feet in place.

"I will kill you if you look up," I told him furiously, looking down.

"Too late. And I must say, your arse is the best one I've ever seen, especially in those little tight shorts of yours" he smirked.

All I could think at that moment were two things: good thing I was wearing shorts and not a skirt and how I wanted to kick his face.

I opened my window as fast as I could and climbed in without a word. Quickly, I closed the door and didn't bother for a thank you. I heard a pebble hit my window.

"What?" I called, opening it.

"Can I stay there? I flooed to get here and Prongs' parents block their fireplace to not get people to floo. I need a place to stay," he grinned.

"Sleep ther on the ground. You could be eaten by wolves for all I care," I raised one eyebrow at him and leaned on the edge of the window.

"C'mon. Please..." he stared at me with puppy dog eyes, as his hair fell to his face prettily.

"Fine."

I had a rope in my room. Don't be surprised. I put it out the window and let Black climb it. As soon as he got in, he immediately stretched out on my bed.

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Sirius...

Her room was not a typical girl room. It had sketches of designs of clothes on one wall, which was probably made by her. The room was a dark shade of lavender, and it wasn't as girly as other girls' rooms were. It had a kind of old-fashioned and modern feel mixed together.

The antique lamp on her mahogany stand, her white silk drapes hung by the window, reaching the floor, the soft white wall-to-wall carpet, shoes were lined at the bottom of each wall and no place was left vacant, her white desk that was as long as a wall and had pieces of parchment all over it, on one wall, hundreds of pictures of her, her friends, the Hogwarts lake, Hogsmeade, the school, the Great Hall, the people who were in our year, other people who weren't in our year, family and family friends, were plastered to the wall, looking awesome. Her bed was the greatest. It was the bed that had a cover. Kind of like a ceiling. You know that kind of bed right? White silk hangings draped on the sides and some white see-thru stuff draped in the corners. It was so freeakin' huge and so soft. She had a chaise lounge at the foot of her bed and a futon on the wall with the sketches.

You may be wondering: what? no wardrobe? She had a walk-in closet. The door beside her bed. Her own bathroom is the the door on the other side of her bed.

"Get off my bed," she said, sounding very annoyed.

"Not until you get in with me," I grinned suggestively.

"Shut up and get off."

"If you go out with me," I piped up.

"No. Get off."

"Shame. And the carpet really isn't that soft to sleep on," I yawned, kicking my shoes off and putting my arms beneath my head.

"Get off."

She was starting to fume. Bad sign for me. Getting off now.

"You can sleep on the futon. I'm too lazy to bring you two floors up to the guest room," she said, throwing me a pillow and blanket.

"What? No kiss?"

"Sod off."

I grinned and jumped onto the futon and easily got to sleep.

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Hmmm...

"I think we're alone now, the beating of our hearts is the only sound..." someone was singing.

Groan. I opened my eyes slowly and found myself not in one of the rooms that the Potter's had given me to stay. So...where was I? Think Sirius, think...unh..oh yeah. Hernandez's place. And in her room too.

I became fully aware of my surroundings and blinked hard, jerking awake. Turns out, little miss Hernandez was the one singing...in the shower. Unwise of her to do so...especially when she's in the company of a breed called Sirius Black. And that same Sirius Black is after her like a lion who hasn't ate in three weeks.

Before I could move a muscle though, the bathroom door opened quietly and steam escaped from it. Hernandez had a towel around her, quite loose, I must say, and she was shaking her face from side to side, making her hair fan all around. It came out all slow motion to me. Woah...she was so hot.

As she dried off her damp hair with a small towel, her eyes slowly drifted to my direction. Her eyes narrowed and she tightened the loose towel that was wrppaed around her body. She threw the small towel at my face, and when I took it off, the walk-in closet slide-door slammed shut, almost breaking the mirror that was attached to the door outside it.

"Oy!" I scrambled out of the futon. "Get out of there! It's just a slide-door, meaning there's no lock."

The door opened an inch and she punched me square in the nose, and I fell backwards, back into my sleeping state.

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Oof! Fuck...that hurt my head. I woke up with Hernandez's elbow in my face.

"Get off." I pushed her away from me. "I am a person too, you know. If you wanted to land me, all you had to do was ask."

"Idiot," she fumed. "I was trying to stick a sketch on the wall, but I lost my balance on the futon and fell. Good, it hit your face hard."

"What are you wearing?"

"I thought you'd like it," she smirked with sarcasm.

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Alex...

I was wearing muddy brown cargo pants, a button down shirt that belonged to my brother's and a military jacket. My hair was a mess, uncombed and wavy from being unbrushed. I ate a whole plate of chocolate chip cookies and made sure that the chocolate was on my teeth. In perfect sight when I smiled.

"What? You don't like it?" I asked, mock-nervously.

Black stared back at me with s grin on his face. "Need help cleaning your teeth? It looks delicious from where I'm standing."

Now, how could a guy flirt like that? Disgusting. I knew that I looked ugly as hell. Why did this guys keep persuing?

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Sirius...

The look on her face when I said that. The surprise and disbelief. I didn't think that she looked ugly at all. Actually, she even looked hotter than she did in her towel. Seeing her in guys clothes like that...it helped me imagine her better in MY clothes...and her messed up hair made it look like she just got up from bed. Sweet! And the chocolate remains on her teeth made me want to lick them off. Think I'm insane, well then, you should have seen her to believe me.

"I'm hungry..." I taunted, inching closer.

"Get down and leave so that you could have lunch at the Potter's then."

"Cold."

"You know you love it," she sneered.

I grinned widely. "Good you know."

"Now, get out of my house before I see to it, that you can never come back again."

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A/N-I need my next chapters to be long, since I normally don't want to go beyond 15 chapters. Please do review...it makes me ever so happy. xoxo's... 


	12. Sixth Year, Here We Come!

A/N- This is the next chapter...back to school everybody...reviews please please please...

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I'm back! Finally, after another month at home...I'm back at Hogwarts! The rest of my summer was boring, especially without Nate around. He was my partner-in-crime, the Bonnie and Clyde sibling version. But since he had to go to France, well...just a visit and sleepover at Lily's had to do.

"I'm quitting Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic, and Astronomy," I quipped as me and my mates walked up the front steps of the castle. "I can't handle those anymore."

"Well, not everyone has the memory for Arithmancy and Runes," Lils looked at me smilingly.

"Yeah," Annie said. "No nobody can just be as brilliant as Lily, or you."

"Other people would think that you guys were dumb, seeing as how pretty you are," Hannah spun one of her long strands of red hair.

"Whatever," I shrugged. "I'm just hungry."

So, we ran up the steps faster and when we reached the Entrance Hall, we walked into the Great Hall immediately, taking the seats near the windows.

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A watching Black...

Hernandez and her friends looked really happy. Too happy. Smiles were plastered on their pretty faces and Hernandez had a giddy sort of stride in her walk. I looked at my own mates and smiled.

Prongs was discreetely freezing the water that he put on the steps, looking for someone to slip and break their heads when they step on it; Moony wasn't here, because of his stupid prefect duty, so, no bothering to wonder what he's up to; Wormtail was helping Prongs, but flooding the stairs with too much water.

"C'mon!" I shouted at them. "Or all the good seats will be taken!"

We went up and followed Evans' and Hernandez's own group of mates. When we reached the Entrance Hall, Prongs stopped abruptly, and it made Wormtail bounce off him and fell hard on his bottom.

Prongs and me burst out laughing, but helping up our friend all the same. Wormtail laughed with us and started looking around. I looked around too.

"Moony! Baby!" I said in my best mafia accent. "Where've you been, bayby?

"Padfoot, I am not in the mood for your mafia lord impressions," he said dully, then lit up in a smile. "Padfoot baby, good times."

"Why did you stop and make Wormtail fall flat on his arse, Prongs, baby?" I turned to Prongs.

"Grand entrance, Marauders baby," he grinned evilly.

"Grand entrance?" I said lowering my head to huddle. "What did you have in mind?"

At the corner of my eye, I saw Hernandez and her mates entering the Great Hall, completely oblivious to the other blokes that were watching her. I'll just hex those blokes later then.

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A hungry Hernandez...

When will this Sorting end???? I am soooo hungry! I have to eat so much that I will get fat! I need to!!! Or I will definitely die of starvation! Dumbledore, please do your speech immediately!!

"Welcome everyone!" he finally said!!!!!! "And welcome back old students! To---?"

A big drumming sound issued from behind the doors of the Great Hall. Oh no...where were the Mauraders?

The doors opened with a loud bang, showing the four Gryffindor sixth years that I was searching for. Behind them, there were hundreds of pies hovering. Stupid idiots.

An invisible orchestra started playing out of nowhere and within seconds, half the people in the Great Hall was covered head to toe in apple pie, pumpkin pie and other pies. I dodged all of them as best as I could, and beside me, Lily got hit square in the face and I was laughing and climbing the table at the same time.

tadadadada-dada-dada-tadadadada-splat-splat-splat-splat...

yeap...This went on and on and when I saw James, running and jumping on tables, untouched by any pies, he glanced at me too, an evil smile slowly etching on his lips. I looked around and behind me were more cupcakes than I could ever imagine, with more icing on than cake.

I sighed and closed my eyes, ready to receive those icing blows. They came, and they were tasty. I scraped off some icing off my face and licked my fingers. It was really good. I looked around and saw how messed up the Great Hall became.

Almost everyone was covered in pastries now, the whole room was a mess with icing all over, but it looked like the land of milk and honey, sweet wih different colored icing. Dumbledore was chuckling to himself, licking the icing from his waist lenght beard. And I, myself had nothing left in my body that wasn't covered with white icing. Gorgeous right? Sarcasm.

Someone was laughing from behind me and I turned around to see a grinning Black, only his hands covered with icing. He's not going to get away with this clean.

I glided to him and smiled. In one swift movement, I pushed him to the ground, which made little impact, since the floor was buried in six inch deep icing and pastry. I knelt on the floor next to him and rolled him around. He didn't object, but kept his face and hair clean. I stood up and he did too. I stood on my tiptoes and ruffled his hair with my icing filled hands, and I did the same thing with his face.

"Who's so grand now huh?" I asked him.

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After fifteen minutes, the teachers successfully seated all the students and managed to make all of us shut up.

"A good way to start the schoolyear I must say," Dumbledore said with applesauce on his nose. "Meaning a sweet one. I don't know if you're still up to it, but tuck in!"

Food appeared on the golden plates that were smudged with icing. And it still looked good. I took a handful of mashed potatoes, and stuffed them into my mouth. Everyone was still covered with tastiness, and no one bothered to clean up the mess. I looked at Lily and smiled, with the mashed potatoes showing uglily in my mouth. She grimaced and smiled, looking like she was constipated. And then I remembered that day when Black said that James looked constipated, under the tree by the lake. Hahaha...

With my other hand, I scooped up some roast beef from my left. No use using proper table manners when everything around you and everyone around you was covered with pastry remains. And seriously, when everyone saw that I was doing it, they just copied me because, well, it takes one person before you step out. Yeap. It's a hard knock life.

I felt someone tap me on the shoulder as I was scooping another handful of potatoes. I twisted my head around and saw a seventh year smiling down at me. He had wavy blonde hair and dark, brown eyes, too tall and was thin. Okay-looking, I guess.

"Hey," he started. "You've got icing all over your hair."

"Wow," I laughed. "Really? You noticed? Oh darn, and I so tried my best to hide it."

"Yeah, I tried hiding mine too," he replied coolly, fingering one of his locks that was covered with brown crumbs and icing.

"Aww..poor us. This'll take weeks to take out of my hair."

"Yeah, you have really long hair," he said, and slipped his fingers through my hair.

Oh no, not another one...do I have a sign on my forehead that says 'Date me! I'll date anyone!'??? Urgh. So, right...you might be thinking, is she crazy? He sounds like an okay person! But to me, I don't really like guys with light blonde hair, dark blonde is okay, but I like the guys I date to look a bit grunged up and scruffy, a bit rough around the edges. So, I prefer dark haired dudes really, and a selected few of light haired dudes. Sorry.

"Yeah," I thought quickly. "What did you come here for anyway?"

"Oh," he looked like he wanted to avoid this part of the conversation. "Will you marry me?"

Excuse me? Did I hear correctly? I mean, I do have icing in my ears, so with my pinky finger, I rubbed my ear vigorously.

"I think I heard wrong, what did you say? I think I misunderstood. Icing y'know," I smiled innocently, expecting him to say will you mead the meat, or something like that.

"Will you-er-marry me?" he said again, nervously.

"I just met you," I said blankly, not knowing how to react.

"Yeah, but arranged marriages happen right?"

I blinked for a few minutes, and shook his hand and smiled and turned my back on him. Beside me, Lily was trying to swallow her fist so that she could conatin her laughter. I gave her a very nasty look and she looked the other way, spitting out her meatloaf and it hurtled through the air and hit five unfortunate people. Then I burst out laughing, and soon, Annie and Hannah were laughing, and then people started looking, so we shut up.

From across me from the table, Black cleared his throat and was looking a foot above my head, and then he looked at me and he jerked his head up, signalling for me to look around.

I turned my head around with annoyance, and I stared in disbelief. The dude that proposed to me was still standing where I left him to be humiliated, his face was contorted into confusion and a hint of rage. I'm not one to shrug anyone off, but this was getting on my nerves. Can't a dude realize when a girl is not interested???

"Dude," I said as best as I could to sound like a guy. "I am not interested because..." I looked around and put my arm around Lily's shoulder. "...she's my girlfriend. I'm not interested in guys."

Lily stared at me like I was crazy, but with my eyes, I pleaded her to go along. And with a grave hint of approval in her eyes, she said,

"Uh-huh," she focused on her plate and rolled her peas around with her fork.

The blonde dude didn't look convinced, as he said, "If you're really together, show me."

"What do you mean, show you?" I stood up and glared at him.

He only smirked at me inresponse, and folded his arms and stood there, waiting. Waiting...the perverted person. So, like an annoying little person that I am, I gave Lils a little peck on the cheek, just like the ones I give to all my friends. And I smirked at him.

"Can you go away now?"

"You date everyone in this school. Didn't you date every single seventh year worth dating last year?" he said cheekily. "Please, you're craving for older people. That's why I didn't think of asking you out last year."

That's going way too far. He as well as said that I was a slag, that I would jump anyone who asked me to. I stepped closer to him and lifted my face to him, like I was going to give him a kiss.

I elbowed him hard in the gut, kicked him in the...you know, where dudes hurt the most when you kick them, punched him with as much force as I could, and with my other hand, I slapped him hard that it was heard throughout the whole hall.

I didn't care who was watching anymore. You can call me whatever you want, mole-freak, little eyes, square-face, I won't care. Just don't call me a ho, or any other related words, or else, you'll really be sorry.

I was about to take my wand out, but I felt a warm hand hold my arm down. I was about to protest, when I turned to the person, and it was Black. I paused from surprise, he was normally the one who wanted a good fight.

"Enough," he said seriously. "He's not worth it. And, it looks like he's had enough. Those four blows from you is enough to kill him. Look."

From the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I didn't bother looking at the blonde boy. But when I looked at the sight at my feet, I was fairly disgusted. Blonde boy was lying at me feet, holding his stomach, blood gushing from his mouth. His nose was bleeding a lot, and he sported a very severe black eye on his left eye. His face was bruised badly, and a very red hand mark was still visible in his purple face.

"Shit," I said under my breath. "I'm going to get in trouble now."

"You never do, even when you think that you are," Black smiled, and as he thought as an afterthought, he kicked the squirming blonde boy in the shins.

"What did you do that for?"

"Now, if you'll get in trouble, we'll both get the blame," he grinned. "And I don't like it when anyone who doesn't know you thouroughly, calls you a-er"

"I know. And, thanks."

This was the only time in my life when I saw Black be nice to anyone other than his mates. And of course, my little beating up a dude will not go unnoticed by the teachers. Maybe they were just so stunned about me acting so barbarically, they were all to shocked to move.

Dumbledore and McGonagall appeared seconds later.

"What sort of thing did he do to make you act so idiotically?" McGonagall said threateningly, pointing from blonde boy to me.

"He called me a slag," I said quietly. "Not that word exactly, but in a different form of words that make you come up with that word in between the lines."

"It's true Professors," Black said professionally.

"I deeply resent students using such words," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "But we have to keep control of our feelings, Ms. Hernandez. I'll leave you off with a warning this time, since I have never seen you act in such way before and I only presume that Mr. Nott only said something so horrible to offend you in such way."

"Now, Mr. Nott, get off the floor and head up to the Hospital Wing before those injuries worsen," McGonagall said.

Whew. I cannot believe that I got off again.

"As for that Entrance today, Mr. Black," Dumbledroe began. "I enjoy a good start of the year, but you do realize that you and your friends will be cleaning the Hall up, making it spotlessly clean tomorrow? I will leave you to tell them now."

Oops. Black will be mad at me.

"I knew he'd sneak in the punishment for the pies and cupcakes somewhere in this conversation," Black only shrugged, and he turned his back on me and sat back down.

"I'll help you guys clean up," I said happily, munching on a celery that was covered with ice cream that appeared for dinner.

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When everything disappeared from the table, all the students stared at Dumbledore, waiting for him to say the words for us to get into our beds...our nice comfy beds...ahhh...

"Before you all leave for your dreams, there is something special about this year," he started, and I perked up as he said this. "A few students will be going to another school this year, because the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place there."

Oh. Dear. Circe.

"Who are the suck-up students that are going then?" Black said loudly, a note of bitterness in his voice.

"The students who will be going are the sixth and seventh year students, Mr. Black," Dumbledore smiled. "But if you'd prefer that we'd bring 'suck-up' students, then--"

"Oh, forget I said anything!" Black grinned. "Shutting up now."

"As I was saying," Dumbledore continued. "The students who are in House Quiddithc teams will be privileged enough to join our older students. And they will be leaving with me for Greece in October. This event was traditionally for the other schools such as Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang, but this time, is different, for other European schools will be able to participate. And it was fortunate for us to be able to join as one of the original contestants for this Tournament."

"I thought that this tournament was not approved?" I whispered to Lily, excited and suspicious at the same time.

"Well, we dunno do we?" she replied. "Maybe we're just all dreaming."

Connection? Maybe Lils is starting to get crazy...okay, we were all zoning out on Dumbledore's speech. We have the Triwizard Tournament. Hooray! but I don't want eternal glory and riches. I already have the latter. Eternal glory? Who wants that? Maybe Blacks' big head would.

Later, when all the excitement was brought up to our common room, I sat on the squashy little armchair by the fire, gazing, and feeling lightheaded from all the eating and all and just looking at the fire and...woah.

"Hey Evans," James called out from the other side of the room. "Will you--?"

"No Potter, I told you once and I think that you're pretty stupid not to understand what 'no' means," Lily replied from behind a book.

"Hey Hernandez," another voice called out, which sounded mighty familiar. "Will you--?"

"No Black, I told you during the summer and I don't need to repeat it again," I replied, imitating Lily's nonchalant tone in her voice.

"Suit yourself then," Black shrugged. "Hey Marlene, will you go out with me?"

"Yeah, sure," Marlene McKinnon replied giddily, clapping Mary MacDonald on the back so hard that poor Mary fell flat on her face.

Poor Marlene, all her prettiness going to waste with dung like Black. Marlene had a pretty shade of dark chocolate skin, she had pretty hazel eyes, high cheekbones, and butt-length curly hair. Curly hair that wasn't wavy or unruly, it was wavy hair that was in little ringlets, and I thought that they were soft and pretty. She was really nice too. She used to hang out with us until second year, when she felt sorry for Mary, being all alone and had no friends. Marlene didn't have the heart to take Mary in the group, I mean, we didn't mind or anything, it's just that Mary had a bit of a problem socializing with people.

I bet Mary wasn't too happy about Black asking Marlene though. I know that Mary has a huge secret crush on Black. She spills her secrets to me, I don't know why, but everyone else does, and I keep them dutifully. Anyway, I couldn't help noticing last year during the DADA owls, Mary couldn't keep her eyes off Black, but he didn't seem to notice. He's a bit ignorant in his surroundings.

And Mary on the other hand, was the complete opposite of Marlene. Alice, who was a part of their own trio group, was even more stunning compared to Mary. I mean, Alice had a round face and a plump figure, but had pretty eyes and lips and nose (I hate my upturned nose). Poor Mary, no wonder she had socializing problems, feeling insecure about the way she looks. Mary was short and plump. She had dull grey eyes, and a funny looking mouth and nose. I don't want to be mean, but you have to know what she looks like don't you? She had wiry black hair and had terrible acne that I help her with to get rid of.

I know that it's not my place to say anything mean when I'm no beauty, have zits on my forehead at times, and is not so thin like Lily. Ugh. I feel so bad about myself. I'm going to sleep...after I take a three hour shower...it'll be hard to scrape of the icing from my hair. Oh, and I have to give Mary some nightcream for her face...

-----------------------------

Sirius Black...

I watched Hernandez as she stood up and walked up to the girl's dormitories. I really couldn't get my mind off this girl. I mean, am I not known for being some kind of player in this school? I know. A bad title, but, who gives a damn? The girls know that I don't fall in love, but they still line up and try to make me.

"Prongs," I whispered. "Why is it that Hernandez can resist me?"

"She's different," Prongs replied plainly, ruffling his hair and glanced at Evans. "Marlene is gorgeous, but she's ordinary because she falls for you."

"I'm still confused."

"To you, a girl can be the prettiest girl on Earth, but when she falls for you, she just becomes like every other girl," Prongs said patiently.

"Explain."

"I can explain better than you," Moony said as Prongs opened his mouth to speak. "You like Alex because she is a challenge. You think about her more than any of the other girls because she can resist you. She can resist you because she knows that she'll become like the other girls if she falls."

"Oh..." I began. "When did you start being an expert in girls Moony?"

"Dunno," was his decided answer.

"And it doesn't hurt that you think of her because she's the hottest girl in this school," Wormtail piped up. "She could give the veela's a run for their money."

"True, true," I laughed.

"What I don't get is why she feels is that she looks like a troll," Prongs said while he was polishing his broomstick.

"What does she think when she sees her gorgeous face and slammin' body, every morning in the mirror?" Wormtail went on. "That she's ugly? She must have brain problems."

"I think that it's a sign of a girl's beauty," Moony stated. "When she's oblivious to how pretty everyone thinks she is."

Moony gave a look at me and added, "She is too good for you."

Prongs burst out laughing and gave Moony a pat on the back. "He's right. She's so dumb about her own gorgeousness, but she thinks that you're good-looking!"

"She thinks I'm good-looking?" I said hopefully.

"Mate, you know that you're a pretty boy," Prongs said seriously. "Hell, even Moony, Wormtail and I know that you're pretty. It's pretty obvious."

"Don't go all gay on me now Prongs," I said, mock-frightened and inching away from him. "Stick with Evans, it's a better choice."

"Shall we go up now and wash all these icing from our tasty selves?" Prongs said, standing up and flicking a piece of hardened icing from his hair.

"We shall," I said, ad the four of us linked arms and hopped up to our dormitory.

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A/N-Okay, this was a bit random of me when I wrote this. But please, please reviews! I hope you liked it! xoxo's... 


	13. Regular Hogwarts DayYeah right

A/N-Okay...I've deprived you all of a regular schoolday at Hogwarts during the Mauraders era. I will enlighten you today, and reviews please.

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YAWN

School...argh...grunts...

My eyes felt heavy and weird. Like they haven't ever ever been up in seven in the morning in their whole entire life. But...school is school, and without me and my mates, school will be boring. And, no use making every day lonely for the people if we all stay in bed!

I got to my feet and swayed slightly. I turned to my right, took a shoe from the floor and aimed it at Prongs' head. I threw the shoe at him and he woke up abruptly. Yes, this is how we wake up our mates. It's for our own good after all.

"That one hurt this time," Prongs grunted, and got to his feet too.

We put on our school things in silence. It was way too early to talk, not even to mates. The only person who could talk in this early hour were girls...and Wormtail.

"Can't wait to see what our schedules will look like!" he squealed as he jumped up and down on his bed.

"Get down from there and stop making my ears bleed," I demanded. "It's too early to stand your talking. I can handle it if it was a girl, but not you."

"Yeah right," Prongs muttered. "You'd punch that poor girl in the face, if she was ruining your morning routine of silence."

"Would not."

"You did it to Glenda Harper last year, remember?"

"Who's Glenda Harper?"

"She sneaked up here to watch you in your sleep, she hid in the bathroom but blew her cover when she squealed and ran out when she saw you topless. She screamed so loud that you punched her in the face when she came at you. It was hilarious actually."

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Moony chimed in, just coming out of the bathroom. "Gave the girl quite a fright."

"Yeap, good times, good times,"I said, still not remembering what the girl looked like.

I remembered punching someone, but I don't remember who.

"Shall we go down to eat then?" I asked, and went out of the room, not waiting for an answer.

-----------------------------

The Great Hall was still a mess. Dumbledore really did mean the cleaning thing. Oh well, easy to do that. I took a look at Prongs and Moony, and the three of us flicked our wands and bubbles appeared everywhere, another flick and everything was spotlessly clean. See? Told you it was easy.

I want pancakes. I sat on the table and I took five pancakes and drowned all of them with maple syrup. I stuffed a whole one in my mouth, and that made my day.

McGonagall started coming and fixing schedules.

"Mr. Black, I presume that you still desire the profession of Auror?" she asked.

"Yes, Prof," I said, little bits of pancake escaping.

"But will you want to keep some other subjects?"

"Yes," I swallowed. "All I'm giving up is Astronomy, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic and...that's about it."

"Are you sure that you still want Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies even if it not required in the requirements of Aurorship?"

"Yes, Prof, a little extra knowledge won't hurt, and I find those subjects easy to handle," I said.

"If you say so then," she replied gravely. "And do not call me Prof."

"Yes Prof."

She sighed hopelessly and I grinned at Prongs.

"Now, you Mr. Potter," she started. "I take it the same schedule as Mr. Black?"

"Yes Minny," Prongs said boldly. "The exact same schedule."

"Do not call me Minny," McGonagall sighed heavily. "You two will be a pain this year. Especially in Greece."

And then she handed the schedules to Moony, Prongs and me. I assume that she thought that Moony would take the exact same things as me and Prongs.

"What about me?" Wormtail pleaded expectantly.

"Your grades did not qualify the same subjects as your friends, Pettigrew," McGonagall said, suddenly all stern. "The only subjects that you have been qualified to take are Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Muggle Studies and Charms."

"What am I going to do?" Peter asked rather pathetically.

"You will take what is left of your O.W.L.s and take those four only," and she handed him his schedule.

Wormtail looked at us like he was about to cry.

"Don't be so sad!" Moony said cheerfully. "At least you won't be driven crazy with all the hard homework!"

"Yeah, Padfoot," Prongs said darkly. "Why did you have to go all Arithmancy and Ancient Runes are easy-peasy? They are the hardest in this school!"

"It's not hard for us remember?" I grinned. "Mauraders are the best in school, and no one can beat us!"

----------------------------------

An astounded Alexandra...

This schedule is fooling me! There are so many free periods today! Yipee! Only Double potions and Transfiguration today! And it starts right now. Me, Lily, Annie and Hannah had the same schedules and everything! Yehey!

We started going down to the dungeons for the first Potions lesson for the whole schoolyear...

"Goodmorning class!" Slughorn bounced as he boomed this out, which made us all emit laughs. "Welcome to your N.E.W.T. class for Potions! Look at the person next to you and get to know them better! They'll be your Potions partner for the whole year!"

Whew! good that I'm next to Lils...she's as smart in Potions as Snape.

"First project for the year is to make a potion. I don't care what it is, as long as it's legal and could be made in two months! You have this week to research and come next meeting, you must get it approved."

What??? Project and homework already? And on the first day too...party bummer.

"Go on and talk then!"

Man...this is going to kill me...Lily is very very very concerned for her work. And she will make sure that she will get an O in this...

"SO???" Lily started, rounding on me. "What do you think we should do?"

"Love potion," I said simply. "It is legal, but we have to find the love potion that can be made in two months. But let's ask just in case."

In an insatnt, Lily's hand shot up and Slughorn jogged to our place.

"Yes ladies? I take it that you have a question?" his face was red, but he looked as jolly as ever.

"Yes sir," Lily whispered, as if everything she said would be confidential. "Is it okay if we made a love potion?"

"It'd be quite an odd choice for two pretty girls such as yourselves to need one, but it can be used. I bet everyone would think of complicated potions, and it is refreshing to see two young ladies do something that is so obvious and yet so complicated. You have my approval on it," Slughorn said proudly.

"Thank you sir," and Lily turned back to me and that meant that Slughorn was dismissed.

"See?" I said happily. "And why didn't you object when I first suggested it? I would have thought that you would disapprove."

"As Slughorn said, it was already dangling in front of our faces, nobody would only risk to take it," she explained. "And, you have good ideas. Your ideas end up in good grades, and I trust that in you."

"Thank you," I said, surprised. "That's a lot, coming from the Great Lily!"

"That's a lot, coming from the 'Hot Godess'," she grinned slyly. "As the boys say."

I felt the blood coming to my face. I couldn't blush. It was one of my defects. I was too tan, too brown to see the blood coming to my face. So, all I could do was utter a small 'shut up', and turn to face the front.

Lily and I spent the rest of the period talking about...girl stuff really. Our Potions book was really unreliable. It's instructions were useless and didn't have the effects that it described. How do I know? Ask my mother and father. This was their Potions book too.

-------------------------------

After the double Potions, Lily and I headed straight to the Library to do the research for thelove potion. No use cramming for later. This was why we had free periods after all.

Lily sat at the table with books all around her, bet she was in heaven. I was left to search the many bookcases lined with potions books. I was skimming the portion in the library which was rarely visited by students, meaning that these were the good books. Madame Pince keeps all the good books here. For safekeeping I presume.

BAM!

Ouch! That really hurt. I bumped into someone and I looked up into the dark eyes of a Black. No, not the Black that you're now used to. The other Black, I mean. The less handsome, less witty, less smart version of Sirius Black. Who else but Regulus Black?

"Alex!" he exclaimed, holding out a hand for me to hold. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"That's alright Reg," I said, shaking my head, trying to get the stars off from my vision. "What are you doing here? You're a fifth year, probably no homework for you yet, and you don't have free periods."

"Professor McGonagall sent me here to get this," he held up a thick book which had the title in embossed letter. 'A Guide to Animagi', it said.

"Ah, I see. Go on then, before she suspects you of cutting classes."

"Nice seeing you. Bye then."

Regulus disappeared around the corner and once again, I was left alone to search. I was laughing as Reg seemed to be in too much of a hurry. He is a nice kid. Nice kid, sweet kid, horrid parents. That's what's wrong with him.

BAM!

Ouch! That hurt too! And guess what? If I met the young Black earlier, now, I'm meeting the older Black.

"You do realize that this is the second time that I hurt my head in a minute?" I said angrily, as Black helped me up.

"Sorry, it's not my fault that you don't watch where you're going," Black laughed.

"Haha, very funny," I sneered. "Now go away before I punch you."

"Can't," he retorted. "I'm researching for Potions. Still don't have a potion."

"Can't you do it some other day?"

"No, we don't want to do it some other day. We want to do it today."

"Can't you do it in some other bookcase then?"

"No, all the good books are here."

"Just stay out of my way then."

It was really hard to try to find good books and make sure that Black isn't trying to get a peek up your skirt. I stayed on the far corner of, while he strayed somewhere in the middle. I kept shooting glances at him, since I heard him smirking from time to time. When I got three fat potions books, and I hastily piled it up and ran to Lily's table.

"Anything good?" she asked, concentrating on a red potions book.

"I ran into Black, both of them, you think that's good?" I said grumpily.

Lily looked up. "Sorry. That must have been bad. I know how you get when Sirius is around--"

"Do not even say his name!" I scowled.

"Sorry," Lily said in a mousy voice.

"Sorry Lils, I just...don't like his guts at times."

"I understand how you feel."

"I bet you, that you'll end up falling for James Potter..."

"Will not! He's very nice to people today, not one hex, and the only thing that annoyed me was last night when he asked me out again. Other than that, I think that we may be good friends--if he keeps this up..."

"Yeah, and you'll have plenty of kids and--"

"If he asks me out during that period of friendship-if we ever reach that period-I'll break off my friendship with him," she said rudely.

"Easy to say but not to do Lils," I pointed out.

"And how do you know that you won't end up with Black?" Lily replied boldly.

"Because I do!" I said proudly.

"Aha, yeah right..." Lily said, resuming her reading for the love potion that could be made in two months.

We stayed there until lunchtime. Yeap, life was good...we had loads of free periods. After lunch, we headed directly to the Transfiguration classroom. We were early, seeing as the corridors were not filled with people. We wentered the classroom in silence and like the good little girls we were, sat on the front row, with our hands placed primly on our laps.

Fifteen minutes later, a few people started appearing. Looks like few passed the Transfig owls. Two Slytherins, two Hufflepuff, nine Ravenclaws and nine Gryffindors, including me and Lily. That's not a lot. Considering that Transfig was an easy subject compared to History of Magic, with all the memorization and stuff, and the Divination with all the random guessing (I quit that class in my fourth year, I didn't find it useful at all).

Marlene sat across from me, and she waved happily. I waved back. And then Black seated himself next to Marlene, and I stopped waving and scowled at him. Behind me, I could hear James containing his laughs and Remsy trying to grimace, but still hinting a smile or two.

What could they be laughing at? I had no idea, and I didn't even want to know. Lily, to my utter annoyance, seemed that her curiosity betrayed her, because she asked.

"Oh, just some joke that Padfoot said awhile ago," James laughed, wiping away a tear from his eyes. "It's nothing. Just guy stuff."

"Ohhh, bet some dirty guy stuff about Lily isn't it?" I teased. "Some sick kinky joke about you and Lils, eh Potter?"

Lily's cheeks turned bright red and matched her too fiery red hair. I arched my neck back and laughed at the ceiling. This was just too easy. James and Rems kept their mouths shut to keep their poise and dignity. Ahh...I keep forgetting the Maurader cool that you have to bring. They looked at me coldly and I flicked my hair at them and crossed my eyes and looked back to the front of the classroom.

Professor McGonagall entered and said, "This year will be a taste of what you will be receiving in your seventh year. This year is more challenging than last year, and there are only few of you in your year that passed the Transfiguration o.w.l.s, and I found that very surprising. I expect a lot from you from being the selected few. Let's start with teaching nonverbal spells then.

"I warn you that it's very difficult and takes a concentrated mind to do so, but it can be done. And I request to partner with people who you are not friends with, so as not to conspire and use magic against people," she continued, shaking her head and glaring at James and then to Black. "The nonverbal spell of transfiguring a person into an animal if you please, preferably a dog or cat, since it is safer and easier to transfigure people into animals that are large, and less hazardous than transfiguring into smaller animals like a bird or a mouse.

"Now, partners," McGonagall red a sheet of parchment out loud. " Snape and Longbottom, Shale and Lupin, Avery and Cartress (Hannah groaned at this), Shuter and McKinnon, Madris and Ysobel, Silver and Lotter, Evans and Potter, Hendrix and Galvage, Hernandez and Black, Jaiko and Loli, Lirian and Hepto."

Silence filled the whole room. Half of us didn't know who our partners were, but I bloody well knew who mine was and I could have thrown up. I glanced darkly at Black, and he seemed indifferent. I caught his eye and he looked away, not giving me the satisfaction of knowing that he will be dead by the end of this lesson.

"Well, go on!" barked McGonagall, making all of us get up and some of the class scramble in different directions because some didn't know who Hendrix or Jaiko or Loli or Galvage or Lotter or Hepto was. who were they? I just knew that they were Ravenclaws. Lucky them, they get to be partnered with someone from their house that doesn't have an ego the size of the world. And all I knew was Shale and Lirian were the only Hufflepuffs here. The only Ravenclaws that I was friends with here were Silver (Alice), Shuter and Madris.

"All right there Hernandez?" Black's voice echoed into my thoughts. I whipped around and stared at him.

"Let's just get this over with," I said and took out my wand.

Before my eyes, Black turned into a a huge black dog, and I didn't even think anything yet!

"That was quick," McGonagall commented as she passed by, giving me an approval nod before moving on, but I could see a glint of pride in her eyes.

Black turned back into a human, smirking at the look on my face.

"What in the world did you do?" I whispered to him in hushed tones.

"Making this easier for us both," he whispered back. "I know how to transform people already, and all you need is fro me to transform, so play along."

He pointed his wand at me and I felt myself change form. I shrank and shrank. Next thing I knew, Black was petting my head, and I looked down at myself. I was a rabbit. Cool! I hopped on one table and then the next and then the next. I felt myself turn into human again as I was jumping onto the next table. Which resulted for me crashing and falling to the floor.

I knelt into a sitting position and I felt my head. It hurt bad. I looked up and saw that Black had a deep cut on his hand, resulting from that crash I did, I presume.

"Professor," he said heavily. "I feel bad. May I be excused?"

"Yes, you may, seeing as you have managed the lesson for today," McGonagall replied, her voice tense. "And bring Hernandez with you too. She looks like she needs the time."

Black grabbed me beneath the shoulders and hoisted me up to my feet. I felt my head spin and I gripped his arm for support. He lead me out of the room and once out, we silently walked up the numerous steps of the castle back to the common room.

"Hippogriff," he muttered as we reached the portrait hole.

We climbed in with difficulty, as my legs weren't functioning properly because it was too numb. I became aware of my surroundings only when Black led me up the stairs to the boys dormitories.

"Stop," I said hoarsely, trying to push him away.

"No, you need some aiding. That fall really hurt your head," he said firmly, pushing the door to their dorm.

He put me down on a bed and rummaged through his trunk. I fell back on the bed and closed my eyes. I breathed slowly and deeply, I could've just fallen asleep then and there. It was nice. It didn't stink in here unlike the other boys rooms, it was clean and smelled like soap.

I felt a damp sponge on my forehead and I opened my eyes. Black was examining my arm closely and occasionally looked at my face.

"Here, drink this," he handed me a glass with some pink looking liquid in it.

"What is it?"

"Hangover potion."

"I don't have a hangover."

"But I bet it feels like one."

I obeyed and drank. My headache stopped completely and my extremities stopped numbing.

"Black, you are a genius," I said, sitting up and walking over to the door.

"I do what I can," he smiled.

"Now it's my turn, go down and I'll be right there.

I rushed up to my dormitory and grabbed the bottle of vodka that was stashed in the inside of my trunk, too a white cotton shirt that I didn't use anymore and headed back down.

I walked over to Black who was sitting by the fire. I took his hand and poured the vodka on it. I could see him bite his lips to contain his screams. I ripped the cotton shirt into strips and wrapped it around his hand.

"And where, little miss, did you get that vodka?" he joked.

"I always have liquor around Black," I smirked. "you never know when you need a good drowning."

"Why not Firewhiskey?"

"You can remember things when you drink Firewhiskey, the day after I mean. Regular stuff like this is better, since I forget everything that happend in that night, may it be painful or great."

He looked down at his expertly aided hand. And he smiled at me, he opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off with-

"Do I look horrific beyond antyhing you've ever seen?"

-----------------------

Sirius Black...

No, you don't. You look pretty, as always. Even with that swollen eye and busted lip, you just look like you've been in a vicious make-out session. What the hell am I doing? Why am I so not normal around her? I act so...friendly with her. Too friendly.

"No," I replied to her question.

Marlene has been alright I guess, but she thinks that she's all that. Lots of people say that she's nice and friendly and yeah yeah yeah, but she isn't. It's her mask. When she hangs around me, she's always trying to up herself and try to get compliments, because she knows that she's pretty hot. Alex, on the other hand, doesn't.

She looked at me, trying to search me or something. I looked away again. I'm going to end up a whipped dude if I end up falling for one girl. Why should I deprive the gorgeous girls at this school of glorious me? I'll try getting Alex, but that doesn't mean that I'll not date other girls, like Prongs.

"You need work with the nonverbal spells in Transfig?" I asked, and her face lit up with curiosity. "I can tutor you."

"I knew that you were an animagus!" she replied. "Because I'm one too! And, I do need a tutor with the nonverbal stuff."

Wow. There is so much about her that I didn't know. Her face fell just as quickly as it lit up. I'm guessing that she realized that she told me her deepest darkest secret.

"You are not to tell anyone!" she whispered, grabbing the front of my robes. "Even Lily doesn't know!"

"I won't," she let go of me. "Why would I tell on you when you have the same dirt on me?"

"Good point."

"What do you turn into?"

"A black peacock," she sneered, like it was the most uncool thing in the world. "Hate it, dunno why I turn into it."

I can see perfectly. The color black is mystery, which she has a lot of. Peacock is pretty obvious, she's excellent-looking, how many bloody times do I need to say that? And a black peacock is unique and exotic. And she acts similarly to a peacock, I must say. She acts so regal and elegant even in the most humiliating situations, she still keeps her posture and cool.

"That's pretty neat," I grinned. "Can you show me?"

"Can we go back up to your dorm? I don't feel like showing it to you out in the open."

So, we went back up and I closed the door softly. When I turned around, there was no Alex. All I saw was this magnificent black peacock, staring at me with violet eyes. This really is a magical world. Where in the muggle world can you find a peacock with eyes and color like that? Her tail had few streaks of white in it, and was high and long. The peacock seemed to smile at me in a knowing way.

I transformed into a dog too, to communicate.

"Ugly isn't it?" the peacock opened its beak, strutting closer to me.

"Not at all," I barked. "You look cool."

I suddenly looked up in the dark eyes of Alexandra Hernandez.

"Freaky looking thing if you ask me," she said sadly, sitting on my bed. "It was a surprise suddenly turning into this by accident. It took me an hour to figure out how to turn back into a human."

"By accident?" I said, turning back into a human. "How old were you when you learned?"

"I was in second year, I was sketching and thought really hard at how a peacock looked like, and...I turned into it. I have no idea how I did it, since I know that it's really hard to be an animagus."

"You're just really talented then," I said, utterly bewildered. "I only learned last year."

"At least you did it on purpose," she muttered. "Did you want to turn into that form because you wanted to?"

"No. The animagus you become is the animal that most likely resembles you--if ever we were born as animals."

She stared distractedly at me, like I was invisible, like there was no person there at all. I walked to her and sat next to her. It would be so good to joke her right now.

"While we're here," I put an arm on her shoulder. "Maybe we could--?"

Her blank eyes suddenly turned into rage. "And I thought that you were nice for once Black. Guess I was wrong."

She stood up and started toward the door.

"Hernandez, I was only-"

"Shut up. I don't need any bullbludger from you." And she walked out and slammed the door.

I ran after her. By the time both of us were there in the common room, people started to come in as well. People from our age group may I insert.

----------------------------

Alexandra Hernandez...

People started coming in. I tried looking discreet, like I just hadn't walked down the boys staircase, closely followed by Sirius Black. Oh dear...rumors about me and him will be around the castle by dinner. I hate these nosy people that just assume things and not ask me directly.

"Did I see you just come out with--?" Lily asked, walking to me.

"It's not what it looks like," I said glumly.

"Try convincing everyone else that," Lily said consolingly.

"I'll get him back," I sniggered. "You'll see."

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A/N- Okaaaayyy...really long one, but I have to finish this story already beacause it'll be too many chapters for my liking. Anyway, hope you like it. Reviews darlings! I love them! xoxo's. 


	14. How I Met My Friend

A/N-I'm just writing these stories because I enjoy writing about these people. I have decided to write based solely on your thrill and my happiness. Please enjoy, and if you could, please review.

--

october 30th.

Not so bad. We just have to repack today and go over to Athens and join this Triwizard thingy. Urgh. I hate getting up early.

I stretched out on the bed lazily and scratched my head, and looked over at where Prongs lay, snoring a bit with a foot dangling off his bed. I threw a pillow at his head and screamed at the top of my lungs:

"LILY'S COMING! LILY'S COMING!"

This seemed to make him stumble out of bed and look at me bleakly through his askew glasses. He looked at me with annoyance and silently swore under his breath while walking to the bathroom. Ahh life.

These past few weeks, seems like months actually, since that first day of school where I couldn't seem to do anything right with Hernandez, were very dull. The days that weren't dull were those days when I was to tutor Hernandez with the Animagus stuff. She's becoming pretty good now actually, successfully turning me into a sickly cow. I have no idea what came into her mind when she turned me into that.

These tutorial sessions were basically quite professional, with a teacher actually approving it and allowing us to use a classroom, mostly supervised. And these were all arranged by Hernandez. Guess she's taking it seriously...or she's just seriously making precautions when I'm around her.

I sat up and began to throw my stuff into the trunk. I didn't unpack much, so I just had to throw in some books and parchment and the mirror that me and Prongs talked through during detention. I threw in what little clothes that were sprawled on the floor and my bed. This room was unnaturally tidy. Prongs was a control freak when it came to tidiness.

"Oy!" I shouted in the direction of the bathroom. "Can you hand me over my toothbrush please?"

The toothbrush came flying out the bathroom, narrowly missing my face. Good thing I caught it. "Thanks. And, not so bad aim there."

"Shall we go down then?" Moony said briskly, already wearing a crisp white shirt and our school uniform. He looked so much like a goody-two shoes than he let on.

"All is done then?" Prongs asked, rubbing his hair with a towel. "Padfoot, please please throw in my stuff into my trunk for me please?"

I threw in the rest of scattered things into his trunk and I pulled all of our trunks into one single file for the house-elves to put into whatever we were going to ride and live in to Athens. I gestured for all of us to head down for breakfast. I went down and they followed.

All of the sixth and seventh years, plus all the other people who were in the Quidditch teams, were all jabbering in excitement. Dressed similarly to Moony, with their best things under their uniforms. There were a bored and unconcerned few who stared into space and sighed, about the trip. One of those few people was Hernandez, urgh, I always have to single her out don't I?

Well, if I have to single her out, I might as well do it thoroughly. I am a guy after all. Her skirt was shorter than I remembered, around four inches above her knees, minimum. Guess she just dressed carefully around me. Her school blouse was carelessly put on, with her three top buttons undone, giving every male around the room something to look forward to if she bent down, while her tie was wrapped underneath the collar of her blouse, looking very messed up. She covered up her legs entirely of white legwarmers or thigh-high socks, or whatever girls call it, and chose this day to wear her four inch leather shoes that looked more like for partying than for schooling. Half her face was hidden in her long, tangled mane of hair, which, I'm guessing, she didn't comb this morning. She looked extremely tired, with black circles under her eyes and her head in her hands.

Still...

Anyway, the other people who were uninterested about the journey today were dressed rather plainly. Like what they usually wore going to school. Eh. These people didn't need to impress, they were already exuding too much high and mighty airs, that it was sickeningly admirable. And Hernandez fit in with these people, I mean, she was wearing what she normally wears. I was just too much of a wuss to ignore it.

"Sixth years, and seventh years," McGonagall called out to everyone. "And all other invloved, gather outside by the lake immediately. All your things are in the transporting--thing." Her face turned into an uncomfortable look, and I bit back my laughs. Wonder what this transportation thing was.

"Shall we all?" I heard Prongs say, and I turned around to reply, but saw that he was holding his arm out to Lily. In a friendly way though.

I looked around and to my surprise, Moony had Hannah on his arm and he winked at me and jerked his head toward Hernandez's lifeless figure. Even Wormtail had Annie talk to him in a civilized manner. Guess she doesn't know about the pictures that I saw in his trunk of her and her mates, laughing by the lake, where they usually were.

I looked to watch Hernandez again and found her looking up at me blankly. She sighed, stood up and walked through the doors of the Great Hall. I immediately took hold of her arm, but she shook me off. She stomped off in the direction of the lake, but stopped abruptly when she saw in plain view what we were riding.

I stopped too, a few feet behind her, completely astounded.

--

A mortified Alexandra...

A yellow submarine. Is Dumbledore joking around? Well, on the expression on McGonagall's face earlier, it couldn't have been. A yellow submarine?? It was even too bewildering and comical to think of. Haha. The Beatles. I wondered if Dumbledore was a fan.

I looked around and grinned at Black, who was mirroring my expression that I was wearing earlier. I was still angry at him, though I could think of no reasons. I was still trying to find a way at getting back at him, just for fun now, not revenge. I just had to find the right opportune moment.

"Wanna see how many things we can mess up in there?" I asked, jerking my thumb over my shoulder, not even masking the excitement in my voice.

I could evidently see the same excitement in his eyes that he tried to hide as well. I extended my hand with hesitation, and with second thoughts, I pulled it back. He didn't fail to notice this and he trudged on, but still in a pace so that I could keep up.

"Couldn't fail to impress?" he said in a low voice.

I ignored that, since I had no idea what he was talking about in the first place.

He looked down at me with those dark eyes that made girls swoon. Again, I found it odd that it didn't have the same effect on me. To me, he had eyes as if he were lost, undecided and unsure. When I look at his eyes, I don't see the mischeivous troublemaker and flirting extraordinaire, instead, I see the boy in him. Probably that boy who was the outcast of the family, I see that sad little boy with innocence in his eyes. And I feel pity.

Weird feeling. I feel pity, other girls feel lust. Am I the only one who finds this akward and freaky?

Moving on...stupid train of thought, I could never stay on one subject even if my life depended on it, and I always find a way to sidetrack people. There I go again...

I looked on forward, afraid that I might do something rash if I kept looking at him. I could feel his bloody eyes on me. I felt my face go warm, and I quickly turned my head away and looked at the submarine. It really was very interesting.

When we got closer, the crowd that got ahead of us were going into it one by one. I could see Lily looking at the entrance apprhenensively. That small little hole on top of the submarine. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...mind you, it was pretty small though, not the big ones like in the movies.

Before I knew it, it was my turn. I slipped in without ease. The hole was bigger than it really looked. Behind me, Black dropped in with more grace than a guy should have. He put his hands into his pockets and looked around with an expression of boredom and expectations squashed.

"I was expecting more," he said, reading my thoughts and surveying the room. "I was thinking metal all over."

I gave a closer look at my surroundings. Inside, it wasn't metal at all. It just looked very spacious and a very modern house. In shades of white, yellow and orange, everything inside was color-coordinated. No metal was in sight. Probably, Dumbledore thought ahead and 'redecorated' before any students make sure that we sink faster than you can say Athens.

Well, he got that right at least. I would have tinkered around if there were any bolts and twisty things around.

I will find something to mess up somehow. I'm not that easy to give up. Maybe those things were hidden deep within the submarine...

My reverie was interrupted when Black guided me toward the center of the room, where Dumbledore was.

"Everyone!" Dumbledore said clearly over the talks. "The right side of the entrance are where the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws are staying. The doors are marked, and the years are marked inside the rooms as well. Dormitories are separated into boys and girls." he added.

"And the same goes for the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs," he continued. "To the right from the entrance.

"Dining Hall is below and so is the Library. The classrooms are located below that level, and the doors are marked with the years and the subject as well, to avoid confusion." he smiled at all of us. "Well? I would think that you were all going to scramble and explore!"

And so we did! I quickly ran over to where the Gryffindors were staying. it was the yellow door on the right. I was the first to reach it. Inside, there was a big, spacious area just topped with a thick gold rug, and a long, wide white leather sofa in the middle. On the left side was a spiral staircase leading to the sixth and seventh year girls dorms and to the right was another spiral staircase for the boys.

I quickly climbed down the staricase and the first level down was a wide hallway filled with lounges and just one door at the end. This was for the sixth year girls, I presumed. I went down and I was definitely sure that that was for the seventh years, since the walls were filled with books that I was sure I needed in seventh year.

I ran back up and ran to the only door in the hall. Inside, there were huge beds everywhere, all draped in light gold fabric. I went for the bed near the window eagerly, where the water was black already and I could see a grindylow eyeing me with longing...for breakfast maybe. Like he could even fit me in his small mouth.

It was extremely hard NOT to get excited. Everything around was infectuous. From the colors, and the atmosphere and the people, and the newness...

I rushed back up into the spacious new common room. Everyone was still in place where I left them, clearly admiring the surroundings with wanting and false haughtiness. I stood and leaned by an inconspicuous wall, watching...

"Boo."

The voice was soft, but I couldn't help jumping. I faced him and punched him on the arm.

"Don't do that," I complained.,

"Not my fault that you're easily surprised," Black shrugged with laughing eyes. "Want to get in trouble?"

"Oh yeah, I never have excitement enough," I said sarcastically, but following him out the room all the same.

He looked around quickly and went down the stairs, and I kept following. He continued on going down until there were no more stairs to go down to.

--

Sirius Black...

I walked down the hallway, ignoring the soon to be used classrooms. I kept going until I reached the end. I knew there had to be something here...I kneeled and knocked on the floor. I kept knocking until I heard a different sound from somewhere in the middle part.

I gnawed at the carpetting, and I saw this kind of line in it. I smiled up at Alex and pulled at the hidden door. I heard her muffle a gasp of pleasure. Inside was what we were looking for, but not what I expected.

How could I really believe that this submarine would be like the ones that the muggles used? I jumped down and everything around me was just surrounded with big white buttons with labels and faucet looking things and some screws. I walked over to where Prongs was, examining a big red button with a mixture of longing and hesitance on his face.

"Guessed what it is?" I asked.

"Not yet," he looked at me and then at Hernandez. "Why'd you have to bring her here?"

I shrugged. "Seemed like a good thing. She might figure it out better than you."

"Yes Potter, I might," she said, no hint of surprise in her voice in finding Prongs here.

"Did you just bring her here to impress her?" Prongs eyed me with a smug voice.

"I suspect that that's the reason," she said in a clipped tone.

"Think whatever you want to think, I just thought that you might want to take a look at this place," I defended myself. "Since you were so eager about it."

She thought about it for one long second, her eyes looking out of focus. "Thank you then!"

Then she glided over to where Prongs was and looked at the offensive little red button as well.

"Looks to me like this is the one that'll shut the whole thing down," she chirped.

"I was getting to that," Prongs replied, not taking his eyes off the button. "Better start small though."

"I agree."

"Me too," I intruded.

"At random shall we gentlemen?" Alex said smoothly, closing her eyes and feeling the wall full of buttons.

Her hand glided over at smoothly, and seeming deliberate, pushed one of the buttons. The submarine quivered for a while, and tileted forward, causing all of us to slide to one part. Alex opened her eyes in delight, clinging to the wall, and with as much deliberance as before, pushed another button.

The submarine went back upright and we slid back to our original positions.

"Well?" she sighed. "Are we or are we not?"

Prongs and I looked at each other, and slowly, evil grins appeared on our faces. We went on either side of Alex and hovered our hands over the buttons greedily.

"On three then," Prongs said. "Three!"

The three of us frantically pushed and clicked and stomped as much as we could. Something above was alarming and there were faint sounds of shouting about something that sounded like 'cold water.' And then red lights went off everywhere and the submarine tilted to different sides.

When Alex sensed that it was already enough to get us in trouble, she flew to the red button and slammed it with her palm. Everything went black, and the lights came on again as quickly as it vanished.

I looked around and saw Alex on the other side of the room, pressing a big blue square button. I wondered how she got there so fast. Her eyes quickly darted to the two of us, her lips in a wide grin, but her eyes shouting at us to run.

We didn't need telling twice. We darted up the ladder and dashed up the stairs. If we could get there in time with everyone else, we could go unnoticed and not get blamed for anything. But what are the odds of that ever happening?

When we got to, shall we call it the lobby? yes. So, when we got to the lobby, the three of us were out of breath, but were trying not to show it. Prongs was biting his lips together and looked really red in the face and his glasses were askew. Hernandez took it a bit more calmly, aside from her messy hair, she looked like she'd been there the whole time.

Everyone seemed to have gotten the idea to come up, since it was crowded and every inch of space was covered up, and one or two were even in bath towels only. So that was where the 'cold water!' shout came from.

"May Mr.Black, Mr.Potter and Ms.Hernandez please step forward?" a voice sounded from the middle of everything.

"Ahh.." Prongs grinned and messed up his hair. "I thought that it would take at least a little longer."

"Yeah, me too." Hernandez added.

"Brilliant, isn't he?"

"Very," I put in.

"Shall we go and fend off the shark?" Alex said, linking her arms around the two of ours.

"Doesn't seem like we have much of a choice," I muttered.

QUickly, and very embarrassingly, we trotted of to the middle of the lobby and went straight to where Dumbledore stood, but as always, his face looked amused and not angry. Really touched in the head sometimes, but no one's complaining. I certainl am not.

"Yes Headmaster?" Alex said sweetly, smiling her brightest, and it was very hard not to get softened up. She looked like a six year old instead of a sixteen one at the moment.

"I feel in a light mood today," Dumbledore started while evryone else held their breath. "So, I'm going to ignore that the three of you had just found out where the controls are and just punish you by assigning you to the front of the line later and sing the Hogwarts song. I'm sure that it will be lesson enough for all of you and will next time be frightened of being the first to be identified as the glee club."

The three of us sighed in relief. Singing will be a breeze. Everyone will forget our faces the next second after anyway, so, it really isn't a big deal. And then we all smiled gratefully and marched back down to our own dormitories like the good children that we were.

--

Alex Hernandez...

Finally! We were here...I needed space to walk. This submarine isn't fully equipped with places to think in. The top wasn't that good, since we would all drown if we decide to stick our faces up there. Everyone dashed into their schoolthings and put on their cloaks and all. I didn't mind. It was sure to be not so cold, so I just put on a black jacket over my white school blouse.

Everyone was ordered to line up in three lines, and James, Sirius and I were right in the front of everybody...Whoopee, no blending in there...

One by one, we got out of the...no idea what you call it...the hole to get out then. And then, just when I had the right mind to stand up straight and not worry of falling, I looked up to see so many beautiful people. They were lined up, just like us, but so much more people...

And right where those people were, I was surprised to find a familiar face. One that I have been so sure that I would never see again. I lost all thought. The punishment. Everything and everyone. All I knew was, that I just flurried up to where he stood, quite shocked as I was. It was a long run, but I was too elated to care.

Before anyone near him could stop me, I flung my arms around his neck and shouted "Dooey!". He stood shocked, his arms around my waist to support me so that I wouldn't fall. And then common sense hit me, maybe this wasn't the guy that I met at St. Mungos. Maybe it was just some random stranger that happened to look a lot like him. I froze in his arms. I should have thought this through.

"Alex, is this really you?" he said in vague amusement. "I really can't see you just jumping onto people and hugging them without giving them a five second warning."

"Dooey?" I asked, relief slowly spreading through me. "You scared me for awhile! I thought that I flung myself at a stranger!"

"I think your headmaster is calling you," he laughed. "You can come at me again later."

"Oh yeah," I groaned. "I messed up the submarine and I'm being punished."

"I look forward to it."

I rolled my eyes and let go of him. When I turned around, Dumbledore looked realy amused again. And the rest of my schoolmates had the same emotion tacked to their faces, they were all staggered and bewildered. I looked at them with a somehow dumb expression.

"If you care to do it..." Dumbledore said smilingly.

Let's get it over with then...

The three of us chanted the Hogwarts song quickly, and the other two just kept shooting glances at me. James in mischief and Black glared. Shows that I care about them...nothing! There really wasn't any tone to the song, so it wasn't a problem, although we did sound like zombies instead of some major acapella group or something.

I could hear everyone behind us muffle their laughter, and the people in front of us watched politely. When it stopped, I ran over to where Dooey stood, completely blank because he was trying to be nice.

"Can I still come at you again, or are you embarrassed to know me?" said I.

He pretended to think hard, until I hit him in the arm. He laughed and opened his arms for me. I grinned and flung myself at him again. And he held me tightly at the waist. "It's really good to see you again, and in circumstances not in a hospital," he whispered.

"Don't get any funny ideas, twit. We're viewed by all our school comrades and teachers, and they are absolutely baffled at this sudden spring of attack from me. Although, my lot are already used to that."

I disattached myself from him and walked back to where Potter and Black stood. It was a long walk, I daresay, but it was one that I took no shame in trudging. I looked up at 'my lot' and scanned for Lily's face. She had this perplexed look that she usually wore when thinking of an answer that was hard for her to remember. Lily caught me looking at her and smiled, evidently meaning 'you are telling me everything later!'.

I sighed. I thought that she would be really mad at me for not telling her about that stay at St. Mungo's. Consequently, Dumbledore led us to one of these great stone buildings, the ones that look marvelously old and preserved, like the ones in pictures and historical landmarks. Inside, it was equally marvelous. The building had no walls, only stone pillars, so, technicaly, you could see everything outside. There were plenty rectangular tables...seven to be exact and one long one on elevated ground. These tables and benches were consisted of hard, smooth white stone.

Circe! it was too pretty here. And really warm. I took off my jacket and pulled down my legwarmers up to my ankles. I must have looked really stupid, since I just happened to choose that day to wear my shortest skirt that I owned since third year. I was too sleepy to notice. And I accidentally picked those really high shoes too...brilliant isn't it?

My mates and I sat on one of the tables in the middle. It was the best to get a hold of everything going around. In a few minutes, all the people outside were now shuffling into the dining hall. Now, in addition from the greek people, there were Spaniards too. It was absolutely strange to see the difference of looks from everyone. Quite amusing to have one pale person opposite you and you turn to your right and see a healthy sunkissed beauty.

Dooey found me, but sat on the table that was nearest the table that was elevated. There must be some assigned tables here too. I beckoned to my mates to follow me to his table, and we stood up and went over there. He cheerfully welcomed me and I sat next to him and Lily on my other side. I got annoyed with her for pinching me constantly and looking at a guy opposite her that was fairly handsome, rather lovely Grecian features, her type exactly.

--

Sirius Black...

This was absolute heaven for the men! There were so many pretty girls, all in one place. As it happened, there was one who I sat next to, with pretty eyes and a pleasing mouth and figure.

"Well, hello there," I said, giving her my full attention.

"And yes?" she said in an accent that was too irresisitible. "What is it that you want?"

"I want your name."

"Adelina Velloso," she said, finally acknowledging my attaention. "And yours? senor?"

"Mine? Sirius Black," I replied with forced deep voice. It was too easy. "And I find that I like you senorita."

She seemed to delight in this, although she uttered or showed nothing, her eyes gave her away easily. Slowly, she tilted her head to the side and looked up at me through her long brown lashes. Ahhh...the flirting eye, isn't this place wonderful? The only thin that wasn't wonderful was Hernandez throwing herself at that Greek dude that none of us had seen in our lives. Where the hell did she find him? And when did she find the time to get so close? I'd have thrashed him then and there if she wasn't around to throw daggers at me, and not figuratively either.

"Sirius?" a voice came into my head. It was Adelaide's...or was it Adelina? "Are you okay?"

"Fantastic actually," I mumbled. "Mind a little walk?" I held out my hand, and she took it enthusiastically. Discreetly, I shook my head. This wasn't as fun as it seemed a while ago. She looked so mysterious and distant, now, she was just one of them. One of those girls that'll sink any time they get the chance of it.

A/N- I had really no idea what to think in this chapter. this was probably the chapter that I took a long time...months and months of thinking for the right dialogue and events, and I had to research the past things that I have written, just to make sure that all my details were right...please review, and I hope you enjoyed. xoxo's. 


	15. Snow is Very Cold

A/N- Hello again, loves...Again: I do not own anything except for the plot and some characters...moving on...

--

"Did you see him?"

"Who was he?"

"Hernandez is quite odd."

"We don't know anything about her after all."

"Gorgeous! I want him!"

These kept circling about me until it made me dizzy. People have no self respect to shut their traps and stop talking about things where they aren't wanted. I did nothing wrong. I saw an old friend and I got excited and hugged him. Was that really wrong? or is everyone around me not human? These people are absolutely infuriating. And the most frustrating one of all is the Black king, who has been nagging me and arguing with me about Dooey. What does he have anything to do with it?

And, my hypothesis is, last night, he was trying to get me jealous with this girl...from my sources her name was Adelina Velloso. You might think me bigheaded for saying he was trying to make me jealous, and why wouldn't you. Let me defend myself...from what Lily observed, he kept stealing glances at us while he held hands with the girl. And Lils told me that when he thought I was looking, he snatched Adelina's chin and looked like he was devouring her face with his lips. I laughed and laughed and laughed.

When he and his mates kept following us as we went for lunch, I finally confronted him about it all. How I say it is very mild.

I turned around and pushed him, which made no mpact at all except for him stepping back for a few steps and glower at me perplexedly. And then, I completely lost it and burst out-

"What do you want? I find nothing that would interest you in any way that happened yesterday, except for that getting caught messing up the submarine!! Stop! Just stop! Don't get mad at me for having friends outside the school. Friends that actually don't despise me after a few weeks! And what do you care of who I hang around with?? I certainly don't hang out with you, so what makes you think that I care what you think?"

He seemed at a loss to say anything, for the very first time. I really regretted shouting out this way, now, people are turning and stopping to watch. It would be all riht at Hogwarts, since they all know about us. But here, with people who could have new impressions of you was really embarrassing. It was very bad that we had to show everyone our issues on the first day here.

If this was to be heard, only our friends should hear about it. That way, if any of this got out, I'd know if the suspects of the blabbers. I took Black by the wrist and jerked my head toward an isolated spot that was covered with trees. The Marauders and my mates followed me, understanding that this was a matter of our ears only.

"Speak," I ordered to Black.

"What do you want me to tell you? You can read me better than anyone else you know," he replied coldly.

"There's nothing wrong with Dooey," I commented. "Why do you keep criticizing him every chance you get?"

"Why, do you like him?"

"What if I do?" I squinted my eyes. "Are you going to leave me alone?"

"Do you mind giving me a direct answer?"

I rolled my eyes. "He's a friend. One I met in St. Mungo's when I had the fever. Happy?"

"Not particularly, no."

"You met him at St. Mungo's?" Lily asked, she couldn't help but get curious. "I thought you met him on vacation and dated him."

"Thought wrong then Lils," I replied. "He had the fever too, and we got pretty close. And I am very offended that you thought that I would date any guy you see that I meet." I added, putting my hand to my chest.

She looked away while my friends smirked.

"Do we still need to be here?" James complained, rubbing his stomach. "I'm very hungry."

"I don't want you to ask Black what happened and see it in his point of view," I hissed. I took off my Mary Jane pumps and threw it at his feet. The heel hit him directly one his big toe and he started jumping up and down on one foot while holding his other foot with two hands and screaming very loudly that it was hilarious beyond reason.

I glared back at Black and saw him pressing his lips together, having silent fits.

"Are we done yet?" Pettigrew asked, watching in anticipation, contrasting with his question.

"It depends on what answer Black gives next," I said impatiently, taking out my wand. "I'm getting very angry," I added, pointing it at Black's throat.

The Marauders and my mates took out their own took give backup for which friend they gave their loyalties to. The girls looked ready and eager, but the boys looked very wary, like they'd rather be anywhere but in this situation.

"You don't want to do that," Black muttered darkly. "And so do we."

"On the contrary, we'd very much like to do this," I smiled pleasantly.

He scowled.

"Are we clear that you will not touch any part of him, Black?" I narrowed my eyes.

"I can't promise anything I can't keep."

"Then I don't think I find any use to talk to you."

I turned my back and strode back into public view. I felt my mates scramble after me, and curious eyes watching severely for something big to happen. I risked one glance back and smirked as I saw the Marauders pace many yards behind us, careful not to look at any one of us.

Once we got to the dining hall, I spotted Dooey talking to a couple of his friends on the table where we sat yesterday. I waved over to him and rushed to seat beside him. And, now that th excitement of yesterday evening died out, we went back to formal greetings and introduction.

He introduced me to four of his mates that were there. The first was Nicholas Apostolos, who was beautiful beyond belief. He had dark brown hair and had the same shade for his eyes too, his build was rather long, but lean, and his chiseled features put the Hogwarts men to shame. Second was, Angelos Olympos, and he was quite on the average side, for me anyway. You all know how I don't get attracted by blondes, so, that may partly be a reason why I think him in the average, but his lovely mouth was pretty about him. And I could see my friend's hopeful faces as I watched them after the introductions.

Third friend was Dimitrios Vasilios, and his black hair had this sexy way of falling to his eyes, which was lightblue, and I couldn't keep my eyes from his perfect chest, which-by the way-could be defined even through his uniform. Fourth friend: Stephanos Stylianos: angular nose and enviable cheekbones. His pale face was quite endearing to look at, and his sculpted arms were something to smile about.

It was quite distressing to have so many beautiful males around you, knowing that you weren't up to their standards, and with the sure thought that they all had girlfriends of their own. And I felt myself almost fainting when they all smiled at me when their names got said by Dooey.

And by the way, Dooey also got better looking since the last time I saw him. In St. Mungo's, he was really thin, from bein sick, so he really didn't want to eat anything, but now, he started bulking up or something, because he was tall and candy for the eyes I guess. But to me, he was still this sweet but akward boy that she met a year ago.

And then it was my turn to introduce my mates...blah blah blah...and it's over.

Now that THAT'S over, now we can get to business: Nicholas Apostolos. I must get information out of him in this hour. I sidled up next to him as discreetly as I could, trying to look like I just happened to decide to take a seat there because everywhere else was full. Just when I was thinking of something to say to him, he started, to my immense relief.

"How are you liking it in Aristokles?" (FYI, Aristokles was the name of the school.) His English was quite good, and the accent was American.

"I'm very comfortable here actually," I replied. "And it was a good surprise to find Dooey here."

"Dooey?"

"Oh right," I remembered that it was only me who called him that. "Matteo. I like to call him Dooey because Matteo sounds too formal for my liking."

He burst out laughing. "That name's quite an original. What lead you to that?"

"Dunno. It's the first thing that popped into my head."

"Beautiful basis of judgment."

"I agree. Do you want one?" I offered him some Bertie Botts from the box.

"No, thank you. I'm allergic to that stuff."

"Allergic to Bertie Botts," I said slowly. "Is like being allergic to everything in the world."

"Fine. I'm lying. I just don't like that stuff. I got this cement-flavored one once and I stopped liking it."

"O-kay," I placed the box down carefully. "Now you got me off eating them too."

"My pleasure."

It seemed like an opportunity to ask for his status in the school. "So, are one of these girls yours?"

He looked a bit surprised, with a crooked smile playing on his lips. "Why would you ask that?'

"Curious."

"Well, there's not one only."

"Oh really?" Great. Just another Black. Just what I needed.

"That's because there's no one." he continued.

"Why's that?" I unconsciously sighed in relief.

"Just broke up with that girl over there," he pointed over my shoulder to a girl who looked younger than me. Probably two years younger than me, who had an olive complexion, in this tanned way, quite similar to my color, and beautiful butt-length brown hair. I will admit that her features were quite like mine, only hers were of a younger look, and she had bright brown eyes.

"Why?"

"As you British say, she wasn't my cup of tea, but she was delightfully innocent."

"Why? How old are you and how old is she?"

"I'm turning seventeen this month, I'm in my seventh year. And she's in her fifth year, but I dated her when she was fourteen last year. And because she was fourteen, she was new to everything. I was her first kiss, first crush I'm guessing, first date. It was really fun that she enjoyed everything that I did for her."

"Aww...so sweet. But still, why'd you guys break up?" I persisted, general curiosity growing in me, and interest slowly fading, but I felt myself inching closer to him, and I realized that I kept leaning toward him the longer the conversation.

"She suddeny kept starting to talk about getting married, and having babies," he shuddered slightly. "I was sixteen at the time. I didn't want anything serious. I'm too young to know about that kind of stuff."

I was starting to like this guy a lot. Not because he was outrageously gorgeous, but because this was what I wanted, someone not so demanding. "So, are you on a hiatus or something?"

"No."

"What?"

"I'm waiting."

"Waiting for what?" my heart started thumping wildly.

He smiled maliciously and I stared at him, very nervously.

"What?"

"Am I not obvious enough?" he raised one brow.

Was he making fun of me? Was it so obvious that I liked him? "Obvious where?"

He sighed a bit. "I like you. You're entertaining. So oblivious."

"At least a hint?" I stammered. What was this guy thinking??

He took my hand and lifted it near his face, his lips actually. Then while he grazed his lips on it with a smile, his stunning brown eyes looked up at me with amusement. Okay, I get it, he's making fun. Two can play at that game...

Using that hand that he was holding, I ran it through his head of gorgeous hair, and bit my lip with an innocent look on my face. I completely forget that people around me watch all the time. And then I forgot that I shouldn't play games of deception like this when my mates were quite aware, not to mention Dooey.

Nicholas smiled gloriously, and then Lily suddenly intervened by placing her hand on my shoulder and pulled me off the bench, which resulted to me falling backwards, but Nicholas caught me rightly just when my head was two inches off the ground.

"Thanks," I said as I glared at Lily.

"Sorry," she said in a small voice. "I needed to talk to you."

"You could talk to me without breaking my head!" I said, enjoying making her feel a bit guilty.

"Just please some with me," she begged, pulling on my hand.

"All right," I said standing up and smiling gratefully at Nicholas.

I followed Lily top one of the pillars. We stood behind it and she crossed her arms at me, seething.

"Why are you angry?" I said mechanically.

"You just made hand-hair contact with a guy you just met!"

"So? It was a joke."

"And you ask me why people tell you that you'll try to get any guy older than you!"

"Huh?"

"Clearly, he's a seventh year, and remember what that Slytherin-name escapes my memory- told you on the first night back?"

"Don't remind me," I replied sullenly. That guy...made my blood boil whenever I would see him.

"Fine. Just agree to not take everything so fast okay?"

"Fine. Can we go back now?"

We walked back to the seventh years table and Nicholas pulled me to sit beside him, but I excused myself and went to Dooey, who sat across him. I could see the forming question marks in Nicholas' eyes, as I looked across him. I wanted to touch his face so badly...

"You be careful with Nick," Dooey whispered quietly in my ear. "He isn't exactly reliable when it comes to girls. And I don't want you to get hurt, it looks like he likes you."

"Are you trying to make me nervous?"

He looked surprised at this, and a little...worry? "Why? Do you like him?"

"I'm not sure."

"I'd hope you not," he looked at me intensely.

There was something about his eyes that made me nervous. It was something...familiar, but unfamiliar.

--

Sirius Black...

Let's go forward for many months. The first task and the chamions aren't important to talk about. The first task was just trying to not get lured by this weird looking animal and getting past it without getting out of your mind. We watched behind soundproof glass. I really didn't care. Let's go this Yule Ball then...

It was kind of chaotic, during the week of the Yule Ball. Everyone who didn't have a date yet tried getting dates now. And, I'm not trying to sound proud or anything...but I agreed to come with five girls already. I did nothing. They just came up to me and asked me, and I couldn't say I already had a date and disappoint their sweet flirty faces. I will definitely get in trouble on the Yule Ball date.

As expected, there were so much dudes fawning over Alex Hernandez since we all got informed that there would be a Yule Ball. Of course, this was a race for her. Who would not? Though, I've never heard of her saying yes to anyone yet, since there wasn't anyone that was proudly yelling at the guys that he caught HER.

Prongs got some redhead...Moony had asked out Hannah...and Wormtail got Mary MacDonald for his date...Annie got one of Alex's friends' friend, I think the name was Angelos...Lily got another friend, the Staphanos chap I think. Still no word about Hernandez though, and good that her friend...that--Matteo, still hadn't got her. It was so obvious that he fancied her, but I'm presuming that she sees him as nothing as a friend.

Since she always smiled at him, he always got thrilled, but she was completely oblivious about his trying to make a move on her.

Now, that Nicholas, I was getting a bit worried. I was very sure about my sexuality to admit that he was good-looking, which made me worried, because I remember clearly the day she first met him with her interested eyes. I would have dueled him if it were not for the threat that Hernandez would ever speak to me again.

Day of Yule Ball...

Waiting for which of my dates that would come first at the big field where the too-green grass was, which was their courtyard, with the stone pilars and dais'. I tapped my foot impatiently on the cold stone. She appeared just a few seconds later, looking well dressed in her pink cocktail dress..gross..I hate pink.

Waiting to get this over with, we walked over to where the Dining Hall was, which was very well-decorated, very grand...like it was made for a banquet of the greek gods. We waited in line with the other people, while the champions danced first.

--

Alexandra Hernandez...

I think you know that it's the Yule Ball, and I didn't agree to go with anyone...before. If anyone else didn't have a date today, maybe I would give them a dance. I just hope that they wouldn't get too freaked-out by my outfit.

I guessed since it rarely snowed here, I wouldn't be in danger of freezing my ass here. I didn't want to wear any gowns, since the girls showed me what they were wearing and they looked alike: strapless or sleeveless, empire waists or corseted...they were either black, pink, violet or red. And I didn't own anything that would makie me look different from the rest...don't freak either.

It might be a bit inappropriate to wear a bikini at a Ball, but who cares? I hid my attire from everyone, even Lily, who, by the way, was getting very suspicious while I refused to dress up while I wore my outfit underneath my bathrobe. She kept asking me when I would start preparing, since all of them in my dorm were almost done, all they needed were to put on their gowns.

Secretly, around three hours ago, while I was alone in the room, I put streaks of hot pink on my black hair, and then now, to hide it, I put on a shower cap over my hair. The girls never asked about it, thinking that I was probably doing something to moisturize my hair or something.

I told them to go on without me. Once they were out and I could hear no one still around any of the dormitories, I took of my robe and slipped on my black six inch t-straps, and slid into my tiny bright pink shorts with those black stripes on the side. I let my hair out of the shower cap and combed my fingers through it a few times. I wanted the purposely messed up look, achieved it.

I took one last look at the full length mirror and judged how I looked. I wore the shorts because there was no way that anyone should see my butt-cheeks at all, and wore those painful heels to look longer and taller. I just really detested my soft stomach, which lost tone, but was still okay-looking.

I waited for another thirty minutes before waiting to go outside.

Almost like I wasn't there, I slipped out and sneaked around to get out of the submarine. There was no need, since it was empty, everyone was all at the Ball already. Perfect, they wouldn't notice me going in, since they'd all be dancing with their dates.

Even the grounds toward the Dining Hall was quiet, since the usually long walks on the grass were all covered with hedges that were as tall as people and covered with lovely flowers. There was no danger in being seen.

Out of nowhere, I felt a cold chill at my back, I looked up and groaned. Perfect. It was starting to snow. the day that I was wearing almost nothing and the snow decided to pour down just right now. I quickly dashed up the trail and was shivering violently when I reached the smooth stone steps, where i almost slipped because my heels were thin and slippery.

Now, there was people, and I started gaining stares. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. I probably looked ridiculous.

--

Back to Sirius...

Getting five dates probably wasn't a good idea. I was frantically running around trying not to get them to see each other. Sooner, I was at the entrance of the Dining Hall, expecting to run away again, when I saw this glorious being appear out of the darkness.

You all know who I'm talking about, and I guess I'm forced to like pink now, only on her though.

Alex Hernandez, had faintly pink cheeks from the snow outside, but her tanned skin looked brilliantly golden, glowing almost. It wasn't flesh-colored, but not exactly dark. Like, light brown or something. All she was wearing was a hot pink bikini and sexy black shoes...she had pink streaks in her hair and she looked so...irresistible.

Her breathing was uneven and her eyes searched frantically for something.

She locked her eyes on me and looked delighted. She ran as fast as she could in those shoes and stopped in front of me, puffs of smoke coming out of her mouth.

"So cold," she whispered, granning onto my dress robes and burying her hands in them, they were cold as ice.

I put my arm around her and rubbed her shoulder, it was still warm. I lead her to the table where her mates were seated. Everyone's gaze followed us as we passed them. I wanted to thrash the dudes.

When her mates saw her, they all stared disbelievingly, and recovering from the shock, scrambled out of their seats and forced her to sit down.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Lily yelled, giving her some champagne which she conjured since Alex asked her to. "I thought that you were busy actually dressing up!!"

Alex smiled cheekily, downing the champagne in one drink. "I feel a bit warmer now, if you care."

Just then, Matteo appeared out of the crowd and blinked at the scene before him. Looking Alex's almost clotheless figure, he took off his dress robe and put it over her shoulders, and Alex smiled up gratefully but only fastened one button.

"Care to dance?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Lily looked like she was going to explode, but Alex, familiar with Lily's angry senses, stood up and pulled Matteo to the dance floor.

--

shivering Alex...

"No date?" I asked him as I thrust my hands into the air, to the beat of the music.

"I promised that I wouldn't have a date if you didn't."

"Awww...so sweet."

"Can we go out for a minute?" he asked.

"Sure, into the freezing cold," I said sarcastically but smiled all the same and headed outside, where the cold breeze was much more painful.

"What did you want to say?" I said in between my teeth chattering, as we walked out.

He looked at me intently. Now, I get it.

"Don't make me hurt you," I said quietly, looking at the frosted lake.

"You'd never do that."

"I may, unconsciously."

"You have to understand Alex," he reasoned. "I think I love you. Since that St. Mungos, I never stopped thinking if I would ever see you again. And I did! you've been a great friend, and then I started to feel something more than that. And then...it got really hard to clear my head, since you obviously liked Nick and I wanted you happy, though with me. I don't know what to do."

"Dooey..."

"See, and that name you gave me...I would have hated it if any other person called me that, but you..."

"I love you...as a friend," I took his hand. "But I don't feel that way. It's better if we don't. I mean, I'm sixteen and you're seventeen! What do we know what we want?"

"Is that how you really feel?" he said coldly, dropping my hand and taking my face.

"Nick is just a crush, but I would never take him seriously..."

"Then, let's go in," he said, leading me back inside.

I paused and stopped. "Are you all right?"

"No regrets."

"Thanks. Boys sould be like you, you know. Not forcing themselves on girls."

"I think you're thinking of Sirius Black. I notice things too."

I smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He was really a good friend, and now, I was very confused at what to do.

"So? Shall I sat you up with Nick?" he said overly enthusiastically. "You probably want a distraction and something not serious."

"Yes, I would," I replied, taking the distraction. "But you needn't be jealous, since you know what I really think of him."

"Yes, some brainwashed friend that isn't really loved?"

"No, you say it badly. Just some guy that I had a relationship that was not taken seriously," I laughed.

"Whatever you say..."

"Are you really okay with this?" I asked.

"Definitely," he smiled down at me with those warm eyes of his.

And then we headed back toward the other people and ignored those late stares that caught me in my little outfit.

--

A/N-Hullo the wonderful people who are reading this story right now. They really do make my day. Reviews please! xoxo's... 


	16. A Very Short Tale

A/N- I am very very in a hurry to end this, since I am planning another Potter story. Something like a Harry meets someone that are in my stories here. And I want to make another match that isn't very flamboyant in the books, my lips are sealed though...more like my fingers won't type it ))...

--

Alexandra Hernandez...

Okay, I know that you aren't very interested with my story here at Greece, since this has no relevance to your knowledge. And really, who cares about the Triwizard tournament?

Then I feel that I should explain and fast forward to seventh year.

But before I tell you about that, I'll tell you that I went out with Nicholas, and he was devastated when we were leaving the school, to go back to Hogwarts. I kindly explained to him that it wouldn't work, and then quickly slipped into the submarine as fast as my legs would run.

Okay, Dooey and I are stil friends, no akwardness as you might think that we would have.

Seventh year, I won't bother with that anymore, since you all know about that and that's a different story.

And I left at the end of the year, because, it seemed, that I had the same spirit as my brother, and I now understood why he wanted to go to France.

And I came back at Lily's wedding because it felt right. And then, I hit it off with Black again, trying to make sure that it wasn't wrong. You might be surprised.

And then, when that night. That dreadful, horrifying, despicable night when I found out that Lily and James died. That shattered my world entirely, and I was left, and Sirius left me crying, in an attempt to take revenge for the betrayal. He loved me, but the next day, I found myself looking at the paper and seeing Sirius in it, accused of being the betrayer.

I throwed out everything that had contained Sirius being the most loyal Voldemort supporter. It sickened me.

I couldn't stay in the house alone anymore, I had nowhere to go, and I couldn't possibly explain how Sirius was innocent. What evidence did I have?

I packed everything, and brought my baby with me, and I apparated to France, thinking of Nathan, hoping that I would appear where he was staying.

--

A/N-Don't you love it when it's short? The next one is the end of a new begining, and that will be the awaited epilogue of Changes for the Better. Reviews. xoxo's. 


	17. Epilogue of Changes for the Better

A/N-Welcome to the last chapter in this place. Reviews and I hope you'd consider the ending.

--

Alexandra Hernandez...

As I apparated, with the baby in my arms, I appeared where a house stood, near the beach, and colored entirely in white. I was hoping desperately that this would be Nate's house.

I came at the door and knocked, when it opened, I thought not a thing and hugged that person who answered it. The build was right, he was definitely a man, but when I looked up, he looked nothing like my brother.

I quickly stepped away from him, clutching my baby to my chest, frightened at my regular mistake at huggging people unknown.

He had a milky white complexion, a long and lean body, with warm brown eyes. His aristocratic forehead was swept with strands of stray dark brown locks, which were streaked with gold wisps of hair, where the sun must have bathed it with its light. His sculpted nose and his thin lips made me feel inferior.

He looked down at me with surprise and something else lighting up in his eyes.

"Please," he said in a deep voice and a somewhat hint of French in the accent. "Come in. I am Damien Delacour, I have seen you in many pictures, although I never expected a baby to be with you when you visited."

I stared at him in shock. What could he have talked about? He spoke as if he knew me completely, as if he had been expecting me. Instead of shunning me and asking me to leave, he invited me to come inside. It made me suspicious of his motive.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared at the door, and when I was sure it was him, I hugged him with tears streaming down my eyes. Nathan, looked down at the baby and then up at the stranger and then at me.

"Alex?" Nathan said, surprised. "Is that really you? And what's that you're holding?"

"This is your niece, it's Sirius'. And I need you right now, and I am really really sorry for being such a brat the last time I saw you."

"S-sirius?" he asked in bewilderment. "I thought you hated him, and isn't he the one rotting in Azkaban right now?"

"He's innocent Nate," I ignored the hated him part, since, that took enough out of my dignity already in seventh year. "He was framed."

"We certainly can't do anything about it now. Come inside, you look like you need a good warming up, and there's someone I want you to meet too. Mum and dad know, but you've been out of touch since you finished school."

He lead me inside, and the Damien fellow followed us in mute silence, looking nonchalant and indifferent.

Inside, the house was still white, the walls, the floor, and only some of the furniture were in a washed up color. Nathan came into a room that was what I supposed to be the living room.

A pretty girl, or I should say woman, sat on an armchair, looking at the scene unfolding beyond her big blue eyes. She was stunning, tanned and full lipped, slender and brownheaded. At her feet, sat a toddler, who looked about three years old. He looked like a sweet little thing, with his green eyes, which had the Oriental look about them that was exactly like my black ones, and the same skin color as I had, and his mother's brown hair. His nose was angular, just as Nate's, but something about his lips reminded me of my own, just as the shape of his eyes reminded me of my own set of eyes.

"This is Katarina," Nathan said, standing behind the woman and holding her shoulder. "My wife, and that is Francis, my son."

"Your wife," I said slowly. "And son."

I know that my purpose in coming here was because of the depression that I felt in losing the people dearest to my heart, but that didn't stop me from bellowing out: "YOU HAVE A WIFE AND SON AND YOU DIDN'T FIND THE ENERGY TO TELL ME ABOUT IT??"

"You didn't tell me that you got all romantic with Sirius Black either," he defended. "And then sprouted another little Black."

I glared at him. I hated it when he had a point.

"Nate, I'm really sorry. I need somewhere to stay. I can't possibly go to mum and dad's, they'd just fix me up with someone who they think will be a good dad for my daughter." I pleaded. "They wouldn't let their granddaughter grow up fatherless."

"I see your point--"

He was cut off by his wife when she said, "You are always welcome here in our home. I have been looking forward to meet you for all these years. Nathan holds you in such high esteem, and I feel like you are my sister right now. I've seen you only in pictures, but I would never have guessed that you were this beautiful in person."

"Umm..thanks," I said, speechless. I never did know how to react to compliments.

"You must be hungry," she continued, standing up and reaching for my hand. "How cold you are! You must have been through quite an ordeal. Come! I must give you some pumpkin soup and bread before you get to any sharing stories."

I had no other choice than to follow this hearty sister-in-law, and sat on a chair and eat and slurp while she watched with a permanent smile on her face.

Right after I've had another three servings of soup, I entered the room where I left a while ago, with a sleepy disposition and found my daughter sleeping in a crib. Nathan and Damien were speaking in low voices, while Francis tried climbing onto his daddy's lap.

"Alex!" Nate said as he saw me sit on one of the white chaises. "I hope that you not be uncomfortable here. The house isn't exactly as huge as the Marithe Manor, but, it would do."

"It is very white," I smiled. "And your niece?"

"She will be staying with you of course, and Katarina insists on taking care of her for you while you stay here. I've grown fond of the little girl in this short hour, I think even Katarina might want to keep her."

"I don't want to be a burden for your wife," I said.

"Not at all. She's always like that. So selfless and thinking of others. She likes feeling this fulfillment in her life, that she had done good for someone who really needed it. It's one of the reasons why I love her so much."

"I can't believe that you, Mr.Heartthrob leader of Hogwarts, actually settled down," I thought of him and his friends and those one or two friends of his that I dated in the past. "You were just like Sirius when it came to the girl department."

"I was," he replied, emphasizing the 'was'.

"And what happened to you Hogwarts friends?"

"Some married too, but some are still hoping to," he winced, "try to make you their wife. I know, you don't like it, but I couldn't really stop them from liking you. They'll probably stop if you get married though."

I loked down at the glass coffe table. Marriage was a touchy subject for me. Once, I tried avoiding the subject because when I was a teenager, I wanted freedom, no commitments. But recently, I avoided it because Sirius had just told me before he left that he wished that he married me, only he was afraid of getting hurt by me again if I left. I would have liked it if things went better, and we would have been happy together. I just wished that I married the man that I first fell truly in love with.

"I think she should meet new people," Damien said for the first time since I hugged him at the door. And his French accent was little detected once again. "Perhaps she should meet my family? They will be very interested to meet your long lost sister."

"Excellent idea, my friend," Nathan said and clasped one of our shoulders and pushed us toward the door. "Have a good day, and I will see you later evening."

"You'll just leave me with a man I haven't known for a day?" I asked incredulously as he slammed the door in my face. "No offense," I said, turning to Damien.

He smiled in reply.

"And what are you to my brother?" I asked as I trudged toward the beach. The fine sand looked very appealing to me right now.

"I would liked to have thought me to be the first friendly face he's seen in this country," he replied, walking beside me as our feet sunk on the soft, white ground. "But that is what I think. You're brither is a very talented person, and it is good that he is one of my friends."

"And which way to your house?" I said, wanting to get the meeting people over with so that I could explain something to Nathan when we got home.

"Follow me," he said as he held my hand and apparated.

--

We appeared in front of a house with a busy street. A gorgeous, busy street, that is. The house was obviously owned by rich people, with its fine detailings and grand entryway.

"Shall we go in?" Damien extended one arm toward me. "My parents and my brother are probably here. They always meet up on Sundays."

"Right," I took his arm nervously. I felt that I was rotting inside. Sirius was still in my thoughts, and I felt hideous for thinking how lovely Damien's eyes were.

When we entered, it was a lovely surprise to see how bright the house was. Elegant, but simple. We went to the sitting room, where the family must have been, and I was met by such surprise on what I was not expecting.

"May I present to you my mother," he said, gently giving a sweeping motion in his hand directing toward Madame Delacour.

She was a simple-looking woman, quite plump, but with delightful tenderness in her face, and a refined manner in her posture. I have not sighted any older man who could have been her husband.

"I am sad to say that the my father is now the late Monsieur Delacour," he hung is face in sadness. "And the new Monsieur Delacour of the family is my older brother, Depollo." And Damien then indicated a plump man, who resembled his mother in features, with the same good'natured face, but did not look a thing like his brother. He had a pointed beard which I personally thought, suited him.

"This is Apolline, his wife, and their daughter, Fleur," Damien continued, looking toward the people he was speaking of.

Apolline was a beautiful woman, with astounding good looks and long blonde hair which looked rather silvery from the lightness of her hair. She looked like a veela. And she was a head taller than her husband. Her daughter did not disappoint any less. Fleur must have a been no older than Francis, but she was a pretty thing to look at, with her big eyes and surprisingly haughty features.

"Family, this is Alexandra Hernandez," my new friend then pointed at me with his brown eyes with humor in it. "Nathan Hernandez's sister."

"You are she?" said Madame Delacour. "I 'ave thought that Nathan 'ad no 'ope in seeing 'is leetle seester again."

"I am sorry if I disappoint," I looked down in shame.

"Eet is a relief," then said Apolline. "We 'ave always prayed that you would come, seence Nathan really meesed you."

"Peety ooman," Fleur blurbed out with difficulty, knowing not English as her native language.

I felt at home with this people. Something that I do not feel normally, even with Lily or James' family. It felt good, to have this newfound feeling of liberation and a new start, even if I would always recollect of my past.

My love for Sirius will never go away, but there must be something else that may numb the pain for awhile. Probably I could find someone, and he could possibly be in the room that I was in.

--

I'll tell you what happened in these many months. Damien entered into the courting stage, perhaps he was unable to keep his feelings trapped in him any longer. He asked me out after the first week that I met him. We dated a lot, and we ended up a couple. Eight months later, he proposed to me, which I took without reluctance anymore. I would still love Sirius, but a new love has risen for Damien, something unlike the others.

It is most probable that I wasn't meant for Sirius Black, but that didn't mean that how we loved wasn't real. It just wasn't the right one. But if things went diffrenently, and there was no Voldemort ruining what made me happy before, I must have been happy still.

Although I may seem like an unfaithful prick, I could never possibly imagine what my life could have been life if I hadn't met Sirius. But there is no use dwelling on what cannot be, now.

Damien Delacour is someone now so dear to me, and he is an excellent father, to my daughter and the two other daughters and one son he has given me.

The only thing that's left now, is to hope that little Harry Potter is safe. And now, eleven years later from that dreadful night, I heard that he's at Hogwarts, and I am just now afraid that he will find me one day, even if there is nothing that will lead him to knowing me. The only reason he would know is if he asked the people that I would have known in my days at Hogwarts.

I do not wish to explain to Harry Potter why I would not come forward as his godmother, and I don't want to let anyone know that it had been Sirius and I, not because I am frightened at the effects, but of what new reports and how people will bother my now quiet life.

I bid you adieu, for my story is quickly ending, but I may meet you again in a later event, possibly altering what I have said formerly.

--

A/N-Okay, the ending is a bit...not an ending, but I will not reveal anything. It's that last time that you'll ever get to Alex's mind, and I am very sorry that you heard not from Sirius, but you'll just have to know what happened if you're confused, by reading Chanages for the Better. Reviews, I will miss you all! xoxo's. 


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